


Making my way to you

by asharee_arie



Series: Falling in Love at Work (Malec Office AU) [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Background Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood, Fluff, Good Parent Maryse Lightwood, Idiots in Love, M/M, Medium-ish burn?, did i mention the fluff?, not a slow burn, there's a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2019-11-14 14:20:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18054140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asharee_arie/pseuds/asharee_arie
Summary: Alec frowns at his sister. "Magnus is my friend and, more importantly, my employee, stop calling him my boyfriend.""Stop undressing him with your eyes and I might," she counters looking smug.***Or, Alec is in love with Magnus and everyone in the office knows it. Or the vague The Office-ish AU that spiraled out of control.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> An Office-ish AU although I've deviated so much at this point that the only real connection is that both take place IN an office. Oops?

"Please tell me that coffee is for me."

Alec glances up from his financial report to see Jace collapsing into the chair across his desk, a solid twenty minutes late as usual. "You're late. Again."

Jace ignores Alec's rebuke and reaches out with greedy hands to grab the to-go cup Alec slides across his desk. After a bracing sip, Jace gestures to Alec. "Okay, continue your lecture. You know you want to."

Rolling his eyes at the words, Alec lobs a balled up piece of paper at Jace's head. "Just try to show up on time occasionally. That's all I ask." 

His brother lets out a long suffering sigh and resumes mainlining his coffee. "Fine, Alec, I'll try."

"If you don't, I'll tell mom," Alec threatens, smirking at the horrified look on Jace's face. Maryse Lightwood has never failed Alec as a threat tactic and he's pleased to see that invoking their mother is still enough to make Jace blanch. 

"You'll tell me what?"

Alec and Jace turn slowly toward the door, both shifting uneasily on their feet when they find their mother framed in the doorway. Maryse looks every inch the CEO of Lightwood Enterprises. Her hair is pulled back in its customary low ponytail and she's wearing an exquisitely tailored dress that Alec is sure costs more than most rent. 

"Nothing," they chorus in unison.

She eagle eyes them for a long moment before Jace pastes on an angelically guilt-free expression that Alec has never quite mastered and says, "Wow, mom, you look great. New shoes?"

The pinched, disapproving twist of their mother's mouth eases at his words, her expression shifting into motherly fondness. "You're a charmer, Jonathan Christopher, but don't think I can't tell you're lying to me."

Maryse glides into Alec's office to buss a kiss on each of their cheeks. "Do try to remember that you're grownups," she says. "I just finished lecturing your sister, please don't make me lecture the both of you too."

Alec and Jace exchange matching grins at the idea that they might finally have something to hold over their sister's head. "What did Iz do?" Jace asks, his eyes glinting with sibling mischief. 

Their mother waves a hand in the general direction of Izzy's office. "She was making out with the head of our IT department again. In full view of the rest of the office, mind you. When did closing your blinds become optional for an office tryst?"

"Mom, you know Simon is her boyfriend," Alec says coming to his sister's defense, slightly disappointed that Iz hasn't done something more scandalous. "Stop acting like she's sexually harassing the employees."

Maryse maintains her stern expression a beat longer before breaking out in an amused grin. "I know," she confides, "But Simon doesn't. I've never seen so much stuttering."

With that, she sweeps back through the door. Jace gives it just enough time that he's sure she's out of earshot before grabbing Alec's phone and punching the button for Izzy's intercom.

Jace waits for the click that says the line is live but doesn't wait for her greeting, bellowing, "Izzy and Simon screwing in her office, S-C-R-E-W-I-N-G."

"Jace." Her voice is terse and sharp. "I'm with a client." 

"Aah... wrong number!" 

He swats at the off button and stares at Alec with wide eyes. Alec knows he should yell at Jace but he's too busy laughing his ass off to be bothered. Just a regular old Tuesday at Lightwood Enterprises.

* * *

 Alec works through lunch and instructs his assistant, Maia, to inform Izzy that he's busy if she stops by. Her judgy eyes mock him through his glass door all afternoon so he's not surprised when Iz charges into his office and Maia doesn't do anything more than raise a faux shocked hand to her mouth.

He mimes slitting a throat through the glass and stifles a laugh when Maia holds a sign up that reads _Team Sizzy_ and shrugs her shoulders. 

"What the hell, Alec?"

Izzy is all but spitting fire as she rounds his desk to tower over him. "I thought we agreed to revoke Jace's intercom privileges?"

"It's not like I gave him permission," Alec argues. 

"Seriously, hermano?"

"Iz," he attempts to placate her, "It's fine. Your client probably thought it was funny."

"More like you thought it was funny." Her expression is unforgiving, her eyebrow arched and intimidating, and she punctuates her words with a wagging finger in his face.

Alec recognizes a losing battle when he sees one and holds his hands up in surrender. "I won't let him near the phone again. In fact, I'll have Simon deactivate the intercom system all together. Problem solved."

Her eyes go soft at the mention of Simon. She's happy and light in a way that Alec can't help but envy. "Disable the intercoms," she orders, "We don't ever use them for actual work anyway."

Order given, she lets the fight drain from her posture and her face abruptly relaxes into a wide grin. "So what's new?" She hops up to sit on his desk, uncaring of the stacks of files she's disturbing. 

"You're messing up my stuff," he complains attempting to rescue the most important bits and restacks them on the opposite end of his desk. 

"Speaking of boyfriends," she says lightly, only the zealous light in her eyes betraying her true interest. "How is Magnus?"

"Stop," he hisses, whipping his head around to ensure no one overhead her flippant comment. He half expects to see Maia's knowing smirk but when he peers at her desk, he finds her hard at work proofreading his staff memo.

Assured that nobody is listening, Alec frowns at his sister. "Magnus is my friend and, more importantly, my _employee_ , stop calling him my boyfriend."

"Stop undressing him with your eyes and I might," she counters looking smug.

Alec feels his back stiffen at her words and he's more annoyed that she's right then by her words. Magnus Bane is the creative genius in charge of their marketing team and he's so beautiful that it makes Alec's teeth hurt. He's also witty and smart and so genuinely _nice_ that Alec can barely believe he's real.

"Just ask him out already," Iz says, her tone losing its teasing edge as her sisterly instincts kick in. "You obviously like him, you should see how your face lit up just now."

"I don't date employees, Iz, you know that."

"But you could," she presses. "There's not a single rule against it. You should know, you wrote the handbook!"

Alec can feel a headache forming behind his eyes. The argument isn't new. He's been having it with Izzy, sometimes Jace, almost weekly since Magnus started at L.E. nine months ago. Neither understands Alec's reluctance to date an employee, not surprising given their historical disregard for propriety, but Alec is too aware of his position as CFO to cross any lines with an employee. Even if that employee is determined to drive Alec slowly insane with the occasional sexual innuendo and drawling _Alexanders_ that make him decidedly hot under the collar.

Iz notices the tension in his shoulders and reaches out to run her fingers soothingly through his hair, stopping to press lightly into his temples and her voice gentles even further. "I just want you to be happy, Alec."

"I am happy."

Izzy cocks her head to the side, watching him with dark searching eyes. "You could be happier," she says leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his forehead before hopping off his desk. 

He shuts his eyes against her words. Resisting Magnus already takes up a good chunk of Alec's mental fortitude so he doesn't have enough bandwidth to also fend off Izzy's need to poke and pry and _push_. "Iz," he sighs, "You know that it's different for me. You run a department but I run the company. It's not appropriate for me to date one of our employees. Even _if_ that might be something I want."

"I think you're wrong," she states gently. "But-" she shushes him before he can disagree, "I get it."

She's almost out the door when she swings around to remind him. "Don't forget happy hour for Simon at the Hunter's Moon tonight. 7 p.m."

"I have work to do-"

Izzy sticks her fingers in her ears and grins playfully. "Can't hear you! Don't be late!" 

She strides out the door, pausing only to stick her tongue out at him through the glass of his wall. He can't help himself from yelling, "This is why mom lectures you" at her retreating back which makes her spin around, both middle fingers in the air. 

Alec is still chuckling as he reorganizes his desk after Hurricane Izzy when another figure pops through his door. For a moment, Alec lets himself imagine the peace he could have if he installed a deadbolt. The silence would be glorious, he decides. 

"Oh my God, did I just hear that the great Alec Lightwood will be gracing us with his presence tonight?" Alec looks up to find Maia leaning against his open door, smiling broadly. 

His sigh when it comes is that of a long suffering boss whose employees have no respect for authority. "This," he points out, "Is what they call employee insubordination."

"Oh, stuff it, Alec, you'll never fire me and we both know it. I'm too good."

Alec wants to disagree but she's right. Maia is sharp, always overly prepared and doesn't blink an eye at the grueling hours he occasionally keeps. She also keeps a stock of gummy candy in her desk drawer that she doles out in times of stress but keeps locked up the rest of the time because she knows Alec has no self control. In short, she's perfect.

"I might," he says anyway just to keep her on her toes. 

Maia ignores the empty threat, leaning back against the doorjamb with a dramatic exhale to continue her previous line of mockery. "Mr. Lightwood, fraternizing with the employees. The horror! Alert HR!"

"Hilarious," he responds drolly, "Also, please stop calling me Mr. Lightwood, it makes me feel like you're plotting my murder."

"Aren't I?" She says with a wink. 

"Remind me again why I hired you?"

Maia appears to think it over before she offers, "Graduated magna cum laude from Brown, sizzling good looks, and a distinct aversion to sleeping with Jace."

Alec can't help his laugh. "I think the third thing is what did it."

"Aim high, boss," she says with a snarky salute before her smile turns sincere. "You're really coming out tonight for Simon's birthday? Maybe now he'll stop moaning about how you're going to fire him for dating Izzy."

"As if I'd dare," Alec mutters mostly to himself. He and Jace may be overly protective big brothers but neither is brave enough to interfere in Iz's love life. 

"Magnus is coming tonight too." Maia's words are deceptively nonchalant.

"Is he?" Alec is just as calm, his face carefully wiped clean of all emotion. You don't grow up as Isabelle Lightwood's brother without learning how to withstand female interrogation techniques. "I'll be sure to congratulate him on the success of our last marketing campaign."

Maia shakes her head fondly. "You're something else, Alec."

She disappears back to her desk and rummages through a drawer before she reemerges with six gummy worms, Alec's alotted amount, nestled in her palm. "You're going to need these," she says.

Not about to look a gift horse in the mouth but concerned by the slightly ominous warning, Alec takes the offering with a suspicious look. "Thanks?"

"Stop being stupid, Alec." Maia isn't one to mince words but this is blunt even for her. "If you don't get your shit together and make a move on Magnus, you won't have to fire me. I'll quit. Or, at the very least, I'll mis-file every piece of paper in your office."

Alec's jaw drops open and he sputters helplessly. "Wh... what? Thats, uh, extremely inappropriate. And... not nice."

Not his most articulate but Alec does his best to ignore Maia's amused snort. 

"Are we done here?" Alec doesn't wait for a response before pointedly returning to his work. Their conversation has left him feeling so out of sorts that he has no idea what he's even looking at. He randomly highlights a few lines to appear busy and only looks up when Maia giggles helplessly.

She places her hands on his desk and leans in to whisper, "You're highlighting a takeout menu. Good choice on the dumplings though."

His cheeks flame. "I knew that," he defends.

"Sure you did." Maia manages to look both pitying and delighted at the same time. "I'll just leave you to it then. Holler if you need me."

Alec waits until she's back at her desk before he lets out a groan and buries his face in his hands. God save him from this place. Just once, he'd like to make it through the day without mishap or meddling employees. 

If Alec spends the next fifteen minutes imagining being marooned on a deserted island, free of interfering women and brothers with poor impulse control, but definitely populated by one unbearably handsome Adonis, well, that's really no one's business but his. The quarterly fiscal report will have to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm planning to update once a week and I haven't determined exactly how many chapters this will be but a slow burn it is not.

Alec is still buried in a mountain of paperwork when Maia flicks her desk light off and gathers up her bag and coat, pausing at his doorway on her way out of the office. "Take a break, Alec," she orders, her expression caught somewhere between exasperation and fondness. "Your work will still be there in the morning."  
  
"You're right, I'm done," he promises, saving all of his open files and shutting his laptop with a final sounding click. "I've hit the point where either I quit for the night or I start my desk on fire, and, honestly, both feel like good options right now."  
  
"Please do not set your office on fire again," she pleads, her eyes searching out the fire extinguisher prominently displayed on his wall. "It took them a week to clean it last time and I am not sharing my desk with you again. Our relationship doesn't do well in close quarters."  
  
"Hey!" he protests, feeling affronted by both the fact that she's blaming him for the previous fire debacle and for the vague insinuation that he's anything but a courteous and charming desk mate. "The last fire was Jace's fault and everybody knows it."  
  
"The fact that your office started on fire at all," Maia points out in what can only be described as a superior tone of voice, "Is most definitely your fault."  
  
"Remember when I hired you and I thought you were sweet and helpful?" Alec asks. "That was nice."  
  
Maia's nose scrunches up, reminding Alec of a disgruntled puppy. "You'd be bored in a week with anybody else."  
  
"But think of the quiet." Alec says, letting out a wistful sigh just to annoy her.  
  
"Flipping off your boss is inappropriate," Maia says, readjusting her purse on her shoulder, "But just so you know, I'm definitely making obscene gestures in my head."  
  
"I could be wrong," Alec says dryly. "But telling me about your imaginary obscene gestures seems just as inappropriate."  
  
Maia shrugs, "Plausible deniability."  
  
"You're such a smart ass."  
  
"And you love me."  
  
"I do," Alec admits with a chuckle. "But I'm definitely screening my next assistant for sass."  
  
"Fair enough," she says easily, tossing him his coat. "Now let's go celebrate Simon."

* * *

Isabelle must have rented out the entire bar because it's full of streamers and tipsy L.E. employees when Alec finally arrives. Alec is about to ask Maia if she'd like a drink when she lets out a crazed high-pitched woo that Alec wouldn't have believed her capable of without bearing witness to it himself and dances toward her friend, Gretel. 

The bar is obnoxiously loud, punctuated by terrible karaoke coming from somewhere in the back, and Alec shudders a little as the offending party hits a high note that is so wrong, he's surprised the neighborhood dogs haven't begun howling in protest.  
  
Izzy's arms wave wildly over her head when she sees him walk in, and he weaves his way toward the high top table where she's holding court with the birthday boy.  
  
Simon's glasses are askew, his words just this side of slurred as he yells excitedly, "Alec, you came!"  
  
"Told you he liked you," Izzy teases, her smile so bright and happy that Alec feels a rush of reluctant affection for the bespectacled nerd responsible for putting it there.  
  
Alec reaches out to clap Simon on the back, "Happy birthday, Si."  
  
Simon sways unsteadily at the contact before lurching forward to throw his arms around Alec. "Brothers hug," he says, the smell of stale beer and pretzels wafting past Alec's nose. After a long frozen moment, Alec lifts an arm to awkwardly pat Simon on the back.  
  
"We're not brothers," Alec can't help but point out.  
  
Simon just grins like a dope as he pulls back, his gaze sliding back toward Izzy as if magnetically pulled. "We could be. Some day. At least I hope so."  
  
"I hope so too," Izzy breathes out, her gaze locked on Simon. Her eyes well up with tears, lips twitching tremulously, before she launches herself at Simon, uncaring of the precarious rock of his stool when she lands on his lap.

Alec takes the move as his cue to leave. He may be happy for them but that doesn't mean he wants a front row seat to their impending make out session.  
  
As Alec navigates through the crowded throng of people, he notes with a grimace that the new karaoke singer isn't any better than the last. He eventually arrives at the bar to find his mother perched on a stool drinking gingerly out of a straw, looking as out of place as he's ever seen her, while Maia seems to have commandeered the bartender's job, mixing drinks behind the bar.  
  
"Hey, boss!" She calls when he pulls out the stool beside his mom. "What are you drinking?"  
  
"Just water."  
  
Maia and his mom wear matching appalled expressions at his order. "Alec," Maryse says, "This is a party. At least pretend to be having fun."  
  
"Fine, make me something fruity."  
  
Maia claps gleefully and spins to stare appraisingly at the liquor bottles displayed behind the bar. "Anything?" she clarifies with a glance back at him.  
  
"Sure," Alec says with a shrug, "Can't be worse than the cocktails Jace makes."  
  
"Speaking of your brother," Maryse says, her dark eyes alight with mischief, pointing at the opposite end of the bar where Jace is drunkenly moon-walking circles around Clary, their graphic designer, "I believe he's doing some sort of mating dance."  
  
Alec has his phone out and recording before Maryse is even done speaking, always happy to pad his Jace blackmail folder. "Alec," his mom swats at his phone, "Put that away before I ground you."  
  
He slides his phone back in his pocket as Maia places a suspiciously neon blue drink, the glass sugar-rimmed and bursting with fruit wedges, in front of him.  
  
Alec eyes the concoction warily before plucking off one of the pineapple wedges and popping it in his mouth.  
  
"See?" Maia says proudly, "It doubles as a fruit salad."  
  
The first sip is cloyingly sweet making Alec grimace. Maia catches the look and grabs the beverage gun to squirt a stream of soda water into his glass. She holsters the beverage gun like she's an old west gunslinger and winks, "That should help."  
  
The second sip is smoother, less syrupy sweet on his tongue, and Alec smiles in thanks.  
  
Maryse watches something across the room for a moment before she looks back at Alec, her expression pleased. "I haven't seen Isabelle this happy in a long time. It's nice."  
  
"Simon is good for her," Alec agrees even if he doesn't necessarily understand how his fashionable, daring, brilliant sister managed to fall in love with, well, Simon. He can see them tucked into a booth now, Isabelle giggling at whatever Simon is saying and Simon looking thoroughly dazzled to just be sharing air with her, and he decides that maybe understanding why some people fit together doesn't matter as much as knowing that they do.  
  
"I think," his mother says picking up her drink to drain the last swallow, "That it's time for me to go home. Nobody needs the boss ruining their fun."  
  
Seeing Alec's frown, Maryse leans in to press a kiss on his forehead. "You, however, should stay and actually have some fun. There's more to life than your job."  
  
Maia waits just long enough for his mother to be out of earshot before she all but pounces across the bar to grab his arm. "Have you seen Magnus yet?"  
  
"No, but I haven't been looking for him," Alec lies, resolutely staring at his drink. "He's probably in line to sing karaoke."  
  
His words must strike the right chord of nonchalance because Maia relaxes her hold on his arm and drops back onto her heels. "Oh God, he definitely is," she says, grinning conspiratorially at Alec, "Do you want to take bets on whether he sings Britney or Beyonce?"  
  
Alec knows that Magnus won't choose either, they're both too _obvious_ , but he keeps his mouth shut not wanting to give Maia further ammunition against him.  
  
Maia keeps up a steady stream of chatter between mixing drinks and Alec listens with half an ear, occasionally mumbling a response when Maia looks at him expectantly.

Eventually, their coworker, Raj, plops onto the stool next to Alec, distracting Maia as she attempts to guess his favorite drink, teasing him mercilessly when he finally admits that it's a cosmopolitan.  Seeing his opportunity, Alec drains his glass and stands up hoping to escape while Maia is distracted debating cocktail merits with Raj.

Maia cocks an eyebrow in question when she notices him slipping away from the bar so Alec gestures toward the bathroom to explain his disappearance.  
  
A part of him feels guilty for misleading her but it's not enough to stop him from ducking toward the exit the moment her attention returns to the row of shots she's pouring.  
  
As he slips out the door, he catches a glimpse of spiked hair and elegant hands, a familar laugh following him out the door, the husky warmth of the sound enough to send a shiver up his spine.  
  
Alec wants to turn back.  
  
He doesn't.

* * *

Sneaking out of Simon's happy hour makes Alec feel vaguely like the naughty teenager that he never was. Clandestine activities were always more his siblings' speed, Alec more likely to play the distraction than be the one sneaking out a window.

When he finds himself back in the office, lamps turned low and his tie long since removed, Alec begins to think that there might be something to Izzy's accusations that he's a workaholic.  
  
Alec is frowning at his computer, trying to make sense of a spreadsheet from their sales analyst, when he's interrupted by a light rhythmic knocking on his door. He knows who it is without looking but, even if he hadn't, the greeting would have given him away.  
  
"Darling, you'll give yourself wrinkles if you keep that up."  
  
The exaggerated concern in the comment makes Alec laugh even as his heart skips a beat like he's a damn Disney princess.  
  
Magnus looks casually gorgeous, a vision of kohl-lined eyes and smooth tan skin, leaning against the door frame. The low light glints off the metal of his rings, a takeout bag from the Thai place they both love and a bottle of wine in his hands. Alec can't help the small pleased sigh that escapes him as the tension slowly bleeds from his shoulders.  
  
"Just a guess, but I'm assuming you haven't eaten yet?" Magnus says making his way into the office, setting the food and drink down on Alec's desk with flourish. He tsks at Alec's head shake, "Eating isn't optional, Alexander."  
  
As Magnus busies himself laying out their dinner, Alec busies himself studying Magnus from beneath his lashes. By Magnus standards, his outfit is understated, dark jeans and a paisley-patterned button down, but Alec finds himself fascinated by the extra glimpses of skin that a non-work outfit affords him. His shirt is unbuttoned a whole two holes lower than normal, sleeves rolled up to show off his well-muscled forearms, and Alec desperately tries not to notice the fit of his pants as Magnus navigates his office with ease, expertly locating the glasses and utensils that Alec keeps stashed for just this purpose.  
  
Their fingers brush when Magnus hands him a glass of wine and Alec hears the echo of Izzy's words _You could be happier._  
  
He thinks she might be right.  
  
Magnus folds himself into a chair across from Alec and gestures at him. "Eat," he urges. "You must be starving."  
  
It's domestic and easy, their time together so familiar at this point that Alec feels a momentary pang of panic at how normal it feels to look up and see Magnus framed in his doorway, dinner in hand and a smile on his lips.  
  
Magnus chats enthusiastically about his department's new initiative while they drown themselves in pad thai and green curry. Alec listens attentively, asking the occasional question but mostly just listening, as always, a little in awe of how Magnus’ mind works.  
  
Alex is logical to a fault, thriving on practical solutions and actionable steps, while Magnus will never be accused of being an in-the-box thinker. While Alec is crunching numbers and coloring inside the lines, Magnus is a whirlwind of spontaneity, finding creativity and inspiration in even the most mundane items. Alec is fascinated by him. Always has been.  
  
It's probably the reason he didn't realize he was in trouble until it was too late.  
  
Alec makes a habit of getting to know their new employees so stopping by Magnus' office whenever he happened to be on that side of the building started out innocently enough. It wasn't until Alec found himself vehemently insisting to Jace that the vending machine near Magnus' office had colder drinks to explain the frequency of his visits that Alec began to worry he had a problem.  
  
For a man who doesn't like to break the rules, he's become a master of bending them when it comes to Magnus.  
  
Over the span of Magnus' first few months with L.E., their quick hallways chats became the occasional lunch which have now morphed into takeout dinners in Alec's office whenever they're both working late.  
  
Alec may not be great at relationships but even he knows that spending multiple nights together each week has blown right past normal coworker relations and settled firmly in territory that he's uncomfortable exploring.  
  
_Plausible deniability_.  
  
Maia's joke from earlier floats through his head and he's forced to admit that it might apply here too.  
  
They spend their nights here, tucked in Alec's office sharing stories about work and watching old reruns of The Office on his laptop, and Alec allows himself to believe it's safe. He lets the fact that they never leave the office paint their time together with a thin veneer of respectability and propriety.  
  
In a welcomed twist of fate, Magnus' frequent after hours visits have somehow escaped the notice of every nosy person in Alec's life. Maia likes to pointedly stare at the amount of takeout containers in his trash and she arched a brow when she stumbled across the wine opener in his desk but he's pretty sure that she just thinks he's shame eating. And perhaps has a drinking problem.  
  
Alec knows he should feel guilty for hiding the time they spend together but he's too far gone to care. They've never overtly crossed any lines but Alec knows they dance too close to it for it to be considered innocent.  
  
Some day, probably soon, someone is going to stumble upon them or notice that they spend almost every night together, and Alec knows he'll have to put a stop to this. Whatever _this_ is.

"You look a million miles away, sweetheart."  
  
Alec looks up to find Magnus watching him with warm, fond eyes, the term of endearment slipping from his tongue as easily as breathing. Magnus has a way of phrasing his questions as observations, always giving Alec a way out of answering if he wants it.

"Everyone has been on my case about-" Alec cuts off abruptly.

When his gaze clashes with Magnus', Alec is suddenly quite positive that Magnus hears the unspoken _you_ at the end of his sentence.

"Things," Alec finally finishes lamely, avoiding Magnus’ eyes.

Magnus reaches out to place a hand on his. His touch is warm and steadying and suddenly Alec feels like he can breathe again.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Yes.” Alec says slowly, flipping his hand so they're palm to palm. “But not tonight.”

Magnus looks at their hands, touching but not holding, and nods once. “Another time,” he murmurs, before locking eyes with Alec, his gaze open and searching. Whatever he sees there makes the slight tension in his shoulders relax and a genuine smile spreads across his lips.

Alec allows himself to curl his fingers ever so slightly around Magnus’, feeling stripped bare beneath his gaze, before reluctantly pulling his hand back and pasting on his best _we're-just-friends_ grin. “Netflix?”

The relief that washes over Alec at Magnus’ affirmative nod is yet another warning sign but Alec steadfastly ignores it, choosing to focus on the pleasant buzz singing through his veins instead.

The rest, he decides, will still be there tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

Alec is mid-meeting with Maia when his intercom crackles to life. “Hey, buddy, busy tonight?” Jace’s discombobulated voice comes blaring through the intercom, startling Maia into splashing her coffee all over the financial reports on Alec’s desk.

“Son of a bitch,” Alec hisses, recoiling from both the sound and the hot liquid wreaking havoc on his paperwork.

“Privileges revoked,” he barks back through the intercom before turning to Maia. “Get Simon to turn those damn things off _now_.”

Maia’s fingers are punching out a text before Alec even finishes speaking. “How you haven’t murdered him in his sleep, I’ll never know,” she mutters, attempting to sop up the liquid with a napkin.

The familiar sentiment makes Alec chuckle as he digs through his desk, pretending not to notice Maia’s judgy eye roll at the plethora of restaurant napkins that he unearths from the bowels of his desk drawers. “Jace is just Jace,” he says, the explanation as accurate as anything else he might say.

Jace is a golden retriever puppy at heart. He’s boisterous and prone to mischief but he loves with a ferocity that makes it hard to be mad at him for chewing on your shoes. Or, as is usually the case with Jace, being a slightly clueless, occasionally frustrating loudmouth.

Alec’s cell buzzes with an incoming text and he’s not surprised to see Jace’s name on the screen.

**Jace:  
** _Izzy wants to have family night at her place tonight. You in?_

**Jace:  
** _And stop yelling at me over the intercom. It’s rude._

_Why are you the way that you are?_ Alec types back, the exchange making him smile in spite of himself, and Alec feels the remaining vestiges of annoyance melting away. _Family night sounds great. 7:30?_

 **Jace:**   
_Iz said 6. Heads up, she said it’s a wine night._

“Damn it,” Alec mutters to himself, pressing his fingers into his forehead to relieve the pressure building behind his eyes.

“Hot date?” Maia teases, her eyes holding a hint of true concern at the stress that’s suddenly bunching his shoulders.

Alec sighs, long and slow, “Just dinner with Jace and Iz, but apparently it’s a wine night.”

Maia’s breath hisses out from between her teeth before she giggles helplessly. “Oh man, good luck, Alec,” she says leaning across the desk to give his shoulder a commiserating squeeze.  

Wine night is Lightwood code for an Izzy ambush. She plies you with wine and chatty small talk, lulling you into a false sense of security, before pouncing on you when you’re emotionally undefended and weak to her life advice.

“Any chance you could fake a work emergency and get me out of it?” He asks, perking up considerably at the thought.

“Faking work emergencies is above my pay grade.”

Alec aims a scowl at her. “I’ll remember that come bonus time.”

“No, you won’t,” she replies sunnily, kicking her feet up onto his desk, legs crossed at the ankle and smirking.

“As much fun as this little conversation is,” he drawls, unable to hide the reluctant undercurrent of amusement in his voice. “I think I’m going to go stretch my legs.”

Maia gathers up her files and grins slyly, “Tell Magnus hi from me.”

Alec can feel his cheeks burn at her words but he doesn’t dignify it with a response. “Don’t you have work to do?” he says instead.

“Don’t you?” she shoots back.

In the spirit of innovative bosses everywhere, Alec sinks to offering a bribe. “You can leave early on Friday if you drop this conversation and stop teasing me about Magnus for the rest of the week."

Maia studies him, judging his sincerity, before she reaches out to link their pinkies in a solemn vow that Alec hasn’t taken part in since he was eight. “I pinky promise. Now go see Magnus, we both know you won’t get any work done until you do.”

At Alec’s dark look, she lets out a laugh, the sound so cheerful and bright that Alec can’t bring himself to be truly annoyed.

“That was the last one,” she promises, waving her arms to shoo him out of his own office. “Go. If anybody asks, I’ll just say you’re out to lunch.”

“Thanks, Maia, you really are the best.”

“Now that,” her smirk is back in full force, “Is something you can remember come bonus time."

* * *

 Alec dodges multiple conversations, a Nerf football being thrown at his head (Jace, of course), and spends ten minutes sitting inside an empty conference room waiting for Iz and his mom to move further down the hallway on his way to Magnus’ office.

It all feels shockingly worth it when Alec manages to slide into Magnus’ office undetected and shuts the door.

Magnus looks up from his computer, his blue light filtering glasses slipping down his nose in a look that should be ridiculous but Alec finds incredibly endearing instead. A delighted smile lights up Magnus’ face and Alec would dodge a thousand Nerf footballs if it meant he got to see that exact expression after.

“Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?” Magnus slips off his glasses and pushes back slightly from his desk. “I didn't think I'd see you until tonight. Speaking of which, I'm thinking Ethiopian?”

Magnus shifts in his chair, stretching out his arms and shoulders to loosen the stiff muscles, and Alec is instantly distracted by the play of his muscles beneath his light pink checked button down. The flexed biceps alone are enough to make Alec's mouth go dry.

“Alexander?”

His eyes blink rapidly as Alec pulls himself together and forces his eyes upward. “Sorry, I was just, uh, thinking about something.”

Magnus does one last subtle flex of his arm, his eyes dancing with amusement when Alec's gaze drops again. Alec looks up to find Magnus watching him with an all-knowing smirk and groans. “You're a menace.”

“If anyone is a menace here, it's you,” Magnus counters. “You look positively sinful today.”

The playful flirtation causes a hot flush to crawl up Alec's neck and he can't help himself from blurting back, “You're always gorgeous.”

The words seem to stun the other man, his face going lax in surprise. For all of Magnus’ gentle pushing, this is the first time Alec has overtly chosen, however bumbling and uncertain, to say something so revealing.  

“Alexander, you continually surprise me.”

The words are light, a gentle tease meant to lighten the mood, and Alec asks himself once again what he ever did to deserve meeting Magnus.

“Can we raincheck dinner?” Alec asks, returning to their earlier topic of conversation. “Izzy wants to have family night.”

“Of course,” Magnus reassures him quickly, his smile sincere, “I've been meaning to have drinks with Ragnor and Raphael anyway. We can do Ethiopian another night.”

“I should probably get back to work,” Alec says slowly, fighting the urge to awkwardly shuffle in place. “Maybe I could call you later? If it's not too late?”

The question hangs in the air for a long moment, almost making Alec wish he could take it back, before Magnus breaks into the same huge, happy smile that he gave Alec earlier and Alec decides he was right.

He'd do anything to see that smile.

“Yes, darling, you can definitely call me."

* * *

 Salsa music spills through the doorway as Alec lets himself into Izzy's apartment and he feels a warmth settle in his chest at the familiar sight that greets him. His siblings are dancing in the kitchen, their hips shifting in synchronized motions to the beat as they artfully navigate the small area. Simon is manning the stove, his toes tapping along to the music, but his eyes are glued to Izzy as she executes a flashy spin, complete with an exaggerated toss of her dark locks and a saucy wink at her boyfriend.

“Alec!” She cries catching a glimpse of him hovering in the doorway. Grabbing him by the hand, she pulls him forward to demand, “Dance with me.”

Alec doesn't bother arguing, his baby sister always gets her way eventually especially when it comes to things like this. He moves further into the happy chaos of the kitchen, extending an arm in invitation. Izzy grasps his hand, her eyes glowing, and seconds later they're whirling around the kitchen. Alec falls into rhythm easily, the movements natural and instinctive. The weight of the day melts away as he matches Izzy step for step, skillfully transferring her back to Jace before she twirls back toward him again.

They dance through several more songs shifting from salsa to a cha-cha and ending with a mambo, the dance taking all of Alec's concentration as they fly through a series of complicated foot movements. Alec is relaxed and happy when Iz finally turns down the volume on the stereo, all three siblings out of breath and grinning widely.

Simon claps enthusiastically, his smile kicking up several notches when Izzy leans up to press a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “Guys, that was amazing! If you would have told me this morning that I'd be watching Alec and Jace salsa dance tonight, I would have fallen out of my chair. But you did! And it was awesome! I mean, I knew Izzy had moves, but her brothers? Wow.”

Alec and Jace exchange eye rolls at Simon's gushing praise, earning them both a narrow-eyed glare from Izzy.

“Mom taught us to dance almost as soon as we could walk,” Izzy explains, her eyes still promising murder if Alec and Jace didn't play nice. “Jace learned later, of course, but he picked it right up.”

“Lightwoods dance,” Jace says with a shrug.

“Can you teach me?” Simon's eyes are pleading when he looks at Isabelle. He launches into a horribly offbeat salsa step and shimmies his hips from side to side, the only thing even half correct is the music he hums under his breath to accompany his moves. Jace and Alec look on in horror, both staring incredulously when Izzy looks to be thoroughly charmed by the display.

Jace scrunches his eyes shut and whispers theatrically, “Tell me when it’s safe to open my eyes, I can't handle any more of that.”

“ _That,"_ Izzy jabs Jace in the side with a spare spatula, “Was adorable.”

Simon looks unperturbed by their sibling bickering as he resumes stirring the spaghetti sauce bubbling away on the stove.

“Can I help?” Alec asks.

Izzy pats his cheek fondly as she passes by, “Feel free to set the table, dinner should be ready soon.”

“And how much of this dinner did Izzy touch?” Jace asks suspiciously, ignoring Izzy's gasp of outrage.

“Izzy is a great helper,” Simon replies loyally earning him a pat on the ass from Iz. Once her back is turned, Simon holds up his hand to form an O shape with his thumb and fingers and mouths, “Zero.”

Izzy's eyes narrow when she takes in their matching innocent smiles and she gestures threateningly with the wine opener, “Do you at least trust me to pour the booze?"

* * *

 

“Simon, that was amazing,” Alec groans after he's consumed three helpings of spaghetti and two pieces of tiramisu. Jace looks similarly stuffed, laying sprawled across the living room floor.

“Family recipe,” he says proudly, “The Lewis family can’t dance but we make mean Italian food.”

Alec helps Izzy gather up the rest of the dishes and follows her back into the kitchen. “So about wine night,” she starts, handing him dishes for the dishwasher, “I think we should good cop/bad cop Jace.”

“We should - what?”

“He needs a Clary intervention,” she explains slowly, as if speaking to child. “Honestly, his behavior is just getting embarrassing. He asked out Kaelie right in front of her and then told me he was attempting to make her jealous.”

Suddenly, Izzy rounds on him, dirty plates forgotten. “Wait, did you think I was wine-nighting you? And why, dear brother, would you think that?”

Alec regrets all of his life choices that have brought him to this moment. “You know exactly why.” The words are all but a soft sigh.

“Have there been.. developments?”

“Sort of?” Alec shrugs, feeling out of his depth with this discussion already. “I told him he was gorgeous today.”

Izzy giggles a little at that. “Oh, Alec, don't look so guilty, we all think Magnus is gorgeous. Jace told him he was Grade A man meat the other day. You were probably a welcome palate cleanser after that debacle.”

Her mouth purses in a frown, “Actually, let's add that comment to our wine night agenda too. I'll be bad cop for that part.”

Jace chooses that moment to saunter into the kitchen, “Are we ready to wine night Alec? I just poured us all a fresh glass.”

“Actually, Jace…”

The alarm bells go off almost instantly, Jace's cocky smile slipping into something Alec could only label as pure panic. “Iz, no.”

Alec chuckles, not bothering to hide his evil grin from Jace. “I think we should add childish behavior to his list of offenses.”

“Is this about the football?” Jace asks, betrayed shock stamped on his features. “You threw it back at me!”

Izzy sweeps past them both and Alec lingers just long enough to whisper in Jace's ear, “I think the word you're looking for is payback.”

“And after I didn't tell anyone about your weird office dinners with Magnus,” Jace mutters under his breath, sounding more put out than truly annoyed.

Alec stops dead at the words. “What did you say?”

He can't help his alarmed tone and Jace sighs, “Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone.”

His brother must see the continued edge of panic because he slings an arm around Alec's shoulders. “Buddy, I know you're confused or whatever, but Magnus makes you happy and that's good enough for me. You don't owe me any explanations.”

“I'm going to good cop the shit out of you,” Alec promises loyally, feeling a rush of warm affection for his brother.

Jace just grins. “You know I'm immune to wine night. It's why we usually focus on you."

* * *

 

Alec is home and puttering around his space in no time after Izzy decides Jace doesn't have enough shame to properly heed her advice, the distance between his apartment and Izzy's easily traversed on foot. He's pleasantly tipsy, the wine still lingering on his tongue, the buzz a pleasant glow beneath his skin.

His fingers itch to call Magnus the moment he walks through the door but Alec forces himself to change into sweats and brew a cup of tea before settling on his bed, his back pressed to the headboard.

Alec stares at Magnus’ contact information for a long minute, knowing this is yet another step that he won't be able to take back, but the temptation proves too great and Alec's finger jabs the call button before he can talk himself out of it.

“Alexander, you called. I hoped you would.” Magnus’ voice is warm and welcoming, soft in a way that makes Alec picture him in silk pajamas lying on expensive sheets.

“I bet you look cute in pajamas,” Alec says before his brain can catch up with his mouth.

He hears the hitch in Magnus’ breath before Magnus chuckles, “Better out of them.”

The words cause Alec to choke on his own spit, an unflattering sound emerging from his throat as he attempts to regain control of his respiratory functions.

“Darling?”

“I'm, uh, good,” Alec manages to get out, his brain still struggling to come back online after the deluge of images that Magnus’ words conjured.

“How was family night?”

Alec lays back on his bed, ignoring the part of himself that wishes Magnus was here, their conversation being whispered in the lowlit darkness of his bedroom instead of over the phone. “It was great,” he says, his lips curving up at the memory. “Izzy made us all dance. Plus she let Simon cook so the food was actually edible.”

“Alexander Gideon Lightwood, did you just say that you _danced_?” Magnus’ voice contains more than a hint of incredulity.

“I can dance,” Alec protests, feeling oddly exposed by the revelation. “I just don't do it with anyone but my family.”

There's a rustle in the background that makes Alec burn to know where Magnus is sitting, what he was doing when Alec called, before Magnus asks with interest, “Did Maryse teach you?”

“Umm huh,” he hums shifting around to get more comfortable, smiling at the memories of his mom teaching him how to box step. “My mom taught us really early. Some of my first memories are salsa-ing with my mom around the breakfast table when Izzy was still just a baby.”

“You can salsa?” Magnus’ voice drops a bit lower and Alec feels a shiver run up his spine, wondering if he's imagined the heat behind the words.

“Um, yes?”

“I was picturing a waltz, maybe a foxtrot if you were feeling frisky, but the visual of a salsa is infinitely more appealing. Tell me, Alexander, _do_ your hips lie?”

The bad joke makes them both laugh and Alec realizes that this is the happiest he's felt all day.

“Hey, Magnus?”

Magnus hums in response before Alec admits, “I'm really glad I called.”

“Me too,” Magnus murmurs before his tone brightens, teasing and light, “I'm even willing to forget the fact that you shamelessly hid your talents from me as long as you promise to show me some of your moves.”

Alec grins in response, “If you think you can keep up, sure.”

“Oh, darling, trust me, I'm pretty sure I can keep up.”

The words are a low purr and Alec resists the urge to rearrange himself in his pants.

“Dancing with you might be the death of me,” Alec says, the truth of his words blatantly bleeding out into his tone.

“That's what I'm hoping for.”

Alec bites back a moan at the gravelly tone in Magnus’ voice and he's suddenly sure that the man himself will be the true death of him.

“As much as I missed you tonight, we should probably say goodbye,” Magnus says regretfully, “You have a board meeting at 8.”

“How do you know that?”

“If you buy coffees for the right assistants, Alexander, you're privy to all sorts of information.”

Alec chuckles, “In other words, Maia told you.”

“She did indeed.”

Magnus’ laugh is an unexpected lightning storm, electrifying and dazzling all at once, and Alec is in awe of him.

“Goodnight, Magnus.”

“Goodnight, my darling.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for each and every comment or kudos, they're so fun to see and I love that people seem to be enjoying my little endeavor.
> 
> Also, this is as angsty as we're going to get, kids, so it's all downhill from here. :)

The next morning Maia greets Alec outside his office with a freakishly large cup of coffee that she swears has four shots of espresso in it, a binder full of their performance numbers and a small baggie with the words _For Emergencies Only_ written on it.

“Ye of little faith,” he says with a laugh, peeking into the bag to find six gummy worms tucked inside. “Anticipating disaster already?”

She playfully swats him with a folder, “You know you’re going to kick ass today. The candy is for when Jace inevitably starts to drive you nuts with his pen twirling.”

They exchange grins as Alec heads into his office and he makes a mental note that Maia deserves a raise. Although he comes to the same conclusion often enough that his mom has forbidden him to adjust her salary again until next year so it might have to wait.

Alec is sitting down at his desk, intent on at least clearing out his inbox before the rest of his day is spent parked in a conference room, when he sees a small white envelope propped against his computer screen, a scrawled _Alexander_ across the front.

The elegant, looping script is nothing like Alec’s own precise, cramped penmanship but it’s so perfectly Magnus that he can’t help but trace his finger over the swooping lines. He glances up to make sure that Maia isn’t watching him before sliding the enclosed card out of the envelope.

The message is simple, just _I was thinking about you_ curved across the top, but the bottom of the card features a cartoon drawing of what can only be Alec shooting cupid arrows at an adorable, heart-eyed cartoon Magnus.

“I am so screwed,” Alec whispers to himself, his lips quirking up when he notices the pink streaks in cartoon Magnus’ hair.

“Maia,” he calls out, already certain that he’s going to regret this but powerless to stop.

She scoots her chair backward until she can peek around the door frame, “Yeah, boss?”

“Would you do something for me?” He asks slowly, feeling entirely out of his depth but determined nonetheless, “It’s kind of personal.”

“Clearly that means it’s Magnus-related.” Her expression remains neutral but the corners of her eyes crinkle up in suppressed amusement. “Continue.”

The lack of sass makes Alec feel deeply uncomfortable. “I want to surprise Magnus. Maybe a box of macarons from the bakery down the street?”

She nods approvingly, “His favorite. Do you want me to put it on the corporate card?”

“No,” Alec all but shouts before lowering his voice, horrified that she'd even suggest it, “I’ll give you cash. Using the corporate card would be a gross misuse of company funds.”

“In the interest of full disclosure,” Maia says, eyes rolling at his outburst, hand outstretched for the cash, “I’m going to need enough to buy two boxes. And a latte.”

“Never doubted that for a second,” he says, placing the bills in her hand. ”Keep the change.”

“I’ll make sure sure it’s on his desk before he gets here,” she pockets the money and grins, “Pleasure doing business with you.”

* * *

 

Unlike his siblings, Alec actually enjoys the corporate bureaucracy that comes along with running their company, but even he finds board meetings tedious, the hours dragging past in a sea of presentations that Alec could recite by heart and made worse by the fact that today his attention is hopelessly stuck on Magnus.

Alec had been on pins and needles waiting for a response to his gift, checking his phone so frequently during their meeting that Jace and Izzy turned it into a drinking game, both simultaneously shooting sips of water whenever he discreetly peeked at his phone beneath the table.

His phone, however, stayed stubbornly silent all day minus an emoji-laden text from Maia that mostly contained a string of thumbs ups and winky faces.

When Maryse finally concludes the board meeting, Izzy and Jace are the first ones through the door, both of them hitting the hallway at a pace that looks suspiciously like a run. Alec smiles apologetically at the other board members, attempting to maintain an air of professionalism, even as he slinks after them, desperate for some fresh air and thoroughly exhausted.

One of their independent directors moves to intercept Alec at the door, but Maryse smoothly cuts in front, waving discreetly behind her back for Alec to keep moving, to greet him, “Victor, darling, I was hoping I could pick your brain for a minute.”

Alec mouths _thank you_ and slips out the door, convinced once again that his mother might be a saint in disguise. Or perhaps an evil mastermind, honestly, he's never been sure which fits better.

Once he’s free, he doesn’t pretend that he’s doing anything other than beelining toward Magnus’ office.

It's late and the office lighting is dim but Alec hopes that Magnus felt the same pull to see him, to talk to him, that Alec has been fighting all day.

Finding Magnus’ office empty and dark, the air stagnant and lacking Magnus’ normal magnetic crackle of creative energy, makes Alec deflate in disappointment.

 _Maybe it's for the best_ , he thinks, ignoring the way his chest clenches at the idea. They've been recklessly rocketing toward a precipice that Alec knows they can't come back from and he should probably be thanking Magnus for preventing him from hurtling over the edge, not feeling this strange mix of anticipation and frustration.

Alec makes his way back to his office, feeling out of sorts and twitchy, the sort of feeling that leads to terrible decisions. The same feeling that once led to drunkenly swimming in a fountain with Jace and ended with them both arrested and being bailed out by their less than impressed mother and way too amused Izzy.

His intention to gather his things and go straight home is shot to hell the moment Alec stops in front of his desk to find another cartoon scene tucked discreetly beneath the corner of his laptop.

This one features a cartoon Magnus curled up on a red chaise, cell phone pressed to his ear, an open box of macarons spilling out beside him. Across the page, cartoon Alec is leaning against a wall, his dark hair mussed, speaking into his own tiny cell phone. Between the two characters, Magnus has doodled a sea of hearts and random words as if filling the space with an imaginary conversation. _Call me_ is scrawled in the top corner.

Alec pulls his phone out of his pocket, staring at it for several long seconds, before shoving it back in his pocket and powering up his laptop. Calling is the last thing he wants to do right now.

* * *

 

Forty-five minutes later, Alec is standing outside a painted red apartment door and feeling like a total moron. Surprising Magnus at his place seemed spontaneous and sweet when Alec first thought of it, but, now that he's standing at his door, he's suddenly painfully afraid that Magnus is going to be freaked out by the gesture. Plus Alec is pretty sure that using their employee HR files to locate Magnus’ address in the first place is a morally dark gray area.

He paces in front of the door, tugging his fingers through his already messy hair, before retreating further down the hallway and pulling out his phone.

Magnus answers almost immediately, as if he's been waiting for the call, his voice warm as it comes across the line. “Alexander, I was beginning to think you wouldn't call.”

“I wasn't planning on it,” Alec admits, shuffling awkwardly in place, his free hand jammed into his coat pocket.

“Oh.” The warm timbre of Magnus’ voice goes flat at the words. “I can let you go if you have other things to do.”

“That's - that's not what I meant, I wanted to talk to you, I just, uh, didn't want to call.”

“You wanted to talk, just not on the telephone?” Magnus clarifies slowly, still sounding uncertain and confused.

It's the uncertainty in his tone that gets him and before Alec can think better of it, he's striding back toward the brightly colored door and knocking.

“Hold on, darling, someone is at the door,” Magnus says. The sound of his voice comes through in strange stereo, audible through both the door and the phone.

The door clicks open and Alec holds his breath as it swings open to reveal Magnus, his hair soft and fluffy, only the barest remnants of kohl rimming his eyes.

“Surprise?” Alec offers weakly as Magnus takes him in with wide, shocked eyes.

Magnus’ mouth opens and closes - once, twice, three times - and Alec burns with embarrassment. He gestures down the hallway, “I shouldn't have come, I’ll just… go.”

“No,” Magnus darts into the hallway to grasp Alec's arm. “No, please come in. I was just surprised to see you.”

“I've gotten used to seeing you every day, I missed you,” Alec says with a tiny shrug, continuing his unfortunate pattern of speaking without thinking, but he can't bring himself to regret the words when they make a warm pink flush settle on Magnus’ cheekbones.

Magnus sways closer, the grip on his arm loosening into something more like a caress, “I missed you too.”

His fingers trail down Alec's arm, leaving sparks of sensation in their wake, as Magnus steps backward and releases him. “Come in. Have you eaten? I have leftover Chinese if you’re hungry.”

“I'm good,” Alec responds, trailing Magnus through the doorway, eyes sweeping over his apartment trying to take in everything at once. The apartment is jewel tones and dark wood and eccentric art that somehow all fits together to make something that feels like _Magnus._  Alec loves it instantly.

Magnus flutters around, fluffing throw pillows and restacking books, before he gestures toward the red velvet loveseat. “Sit. Would you like a drink?”

Watching the indomitable Magnus Bane look anything but confident makes Alec want to fold him into his arms and stroke his back until they've both remembered how to breathe properly.

“Wine,” Alec says, “Red if you have it.”

Magnus nods once, gliding toward the kitchen where Alec can see stainless steel appliances and bright abstract art. “How was your meeting?” Magnus calls as he pulls down the wine glasses and sets to uncorking the bottle.

“It was good actually,” Alec responds, walking the room to examine the various artifacts Magnus has on display. “Jace stayed awake the entire time and Izzy didn't insult anyone so mom is happy.”

Magnus reappears with two glasses, handing one over as he gestures again for Alec to sit down on the loveseat.

Alec takes a seat gingerly and tries not to stare as Magnus makes himself comfortable on the opposite end, his legs tucked up beneath him. His painted toenails peek out from beneath the hem of his silk pants and Alec resists the urge to run a finger over the delicate arch of his foot.

Magnus notes his gaze and wiggles his toes playfully. “You like? I just finished painting them before you got here.”

“I've never painted my nails,” Alec says, indulging himself minutely by reaching out to poke at one of Magnus’ glittery purple toenails.

“I could paint yours, if you'd like.”

The offer is teasing, but Alec hears the hesitant undercurrent beneath the words and he finds himself agreeing before he can question the urge. “Okay.”

“Really?” Magnus doesn't bother to hide his pleased surprise and he shifts sideways to reach for a caddy on his coffee table.

Alec feels a tug of something that feels like excitement as he replies, “Yeah, sure. It might be fun.”

Magnus plops the caddy between them and grins, the smile almost enough to bring Alec to his knees. “Pick a color, Alexander. Might I suggest something in the teal family?”

The idea of teal colored toenails makes Alec grimace and Magnus throws his head back to laugh, his adam’s apple shifting enticingly with the sound. “Maybe matte black?”

Alec feels his lips tilt up in response to Magnus’ laughter and he sorts through the available colors, pulling out the predicted black but choosing one with a subtle shimmer.

“You’re full of surprises, Mr. Lightwood.”

The use of his last name makes Alec cringe, a sudden and swift reminder that he shouldn't be here, but, before he can recoil too far, Magnus has moved to sit cross-legged and motions for Alec to bring his feet up onto the couch between them.

Alec rolls off his socks and clumsily moves to sit with his feet up on the cushions, fighting the urge to fidget as Magnus places a magazine underneath his foot.

“Ready for your first pedicure?”

At Alec's nod, Magnus rolls the fingernail polish bottle between his hands before unscrewing the top and leaning forward to paint the first stripe on Alec's pinky toe.

Magnus works silently, his attention solely focused on the job at hand, leaning so close that Alec is teased by the faintest whiff of sandalwood. The closely shaved hair at the nape of his neck looks impossibly soft and Alec only just barely controls the urge to run his fingers over the silky strands.

The air between them is charged, heavy with unsaid sentiments, the tension cranking up several notches when Magnus finishes the final coat and looks up, his face dangerously close.

“What do you think?” Magnus is so close that Alec can feel the whispered words ghosting across his cheek.

Alec tears his eyes off Magnus to check out his newly painted toes. “I'm not sure this will be my new normal but they look good. Thank you.”

“My pleasure, darling.”

The term of endearment isn't new but feeling the words skitter across his sensitive skin overloads Alec's brain until all he can see is Magnus. Magnus smiling at him like he's something special. Magnus stroking his fingers lightly over the tops of Alec's bare feet.

It's at that moment that Alec realizes he's lost the war and he can't quite bring himself to care.

Alec surges to close the distance between their lips, and it's everything that he’s ever wanted all in one kiss. Their teeth clink and the angle isn't quite right but it's _perfect_.

The feel of Magnus’ fingers skimming up his neck registers distantly in Alec's brain but everything blurs together as Magnus parts his lips and Alec feels the first gentle flick of his tongue. He tastes of Malbec and a hint of cinnamon. Alec fists his hands in Magnus’ silky tunic and pulls him even closer, trembling as Magnus moans in response, the rough sound enough to pull Alec back to awareness.

Alec eases back reluctantly, his harsh pants breaking the silence between them, and Magnus lets out a breathy chuckle. The sound is so blissed out that Alec can't help the rush of pride he feels at causing it.

“Alexander,” Magnus says, still sounding a little out of it, “I think you may be the best boss I've ever had. Tall, dark, handsome _and_ a fabulous kisser? You spoil me.”

The words are flirtatious, teasing, but they hit Alec with the force of a bucket of ice water, instant shame rising up in his throat.

“Oh my God,” he murmurs, his tone horrified, yanking backward so quickly that Magnus sways toward him as if unable to stay upright without Alec's hands on him.

Magnus eyes are unfocused, the pupils wide and blown out from their kiss, but his gaze quickly sharpens as he takes in the change in Alec's demeanor.

His hands reach for Alec but they never make contact, hovering awkwardly in the air between them. Alec aches to close the distance between them, to lose himself in another kiss until this ache in his gut eases and he replaces it with the same warm glow from earlier. Alec has always known that this thing between them couldn't happen but standing here on the precipice of actually stopping it makes Alec sick to his stomach.

“I can't do this,” he chokes out, Magnus’ eyes going wide at the unexpected declaration.

“Alec?”

Hearing the shortened version of his name on Magnus’ lips feels wrong, blasphemous when the taste of Magnus still lingers on his tongue. Alec reaches for Magnus’ hands, still stretched out in the air between them, and entwines their fingers.

“I'm really sorry.”

His whispered words make Magnus’ face scrunch up in confusion. “I don't understand,” Magnus says slowly, staring down at their clasped hands.

“I can't do this,” Alec repeats, hating himself for the way Magnus shutters his expression. “I'm your boss. It's completely inappropriate and I knew that but I - I just couldn't resist spending time with you and now I've screwed everything up.”

“But Izzy and Simon?” Magnus asks, visibly trying to process the shift in mood.

“It's different… then this.” Alex explains, unable to resist rubbing a finger over the soft skin on the back of Magnus’ hand. “Technically, they hold the same level position and Iz doesn't have any power over Simon or his position. Arguably she might have a tiny bit of sway due to her minority ownership but that's it. You head up a department but, ultimately, you report to me. I conduct your performance reviews, I sign off on your paychecks, it's just - not the same for us.”

“Okay,” Magnus murmurs softly.

“You're not mad?”

Magnus smiles at Alec then, the look wistful and a little pained, as he gently tugs his hands out of Alec's grasp. “No, I'm not mad. How can I be mad when you're just being the same overly responsible, principled man that I lo- like.”

“I wish things were different,” Alec offers, the pressure in his chest increasing to an almost painful degree, already missing the feel of Magnus beneath his hands.

“Yeah,” Magnus breathes out softly, “Me too.” After a long beat, Magnus looks up to meet his gaze, his expression solemn, “I think you should go.”

Alec isn't surprised by the words but they hurt all the same. He slips back into his shoes and Magnus walks him to the door.

“Magnus-”

Magnus brings a finger up to Alec's lips, leaving only a sliver of air between his finger and Alec. “I understand. I just… need some time.”

Watching Magnus dismiss him, no matter how much it needs to happen, chips away at something in Alec, something that he hadn't even been aware was there until it coalesces into a sharp jagged burst of distress. His hand comes up of its own accord but stills when Magnus shuffles backward, evading his touch.

“I'll see you around?”

Magnus smiles, small but genuine, and moves forward to brush a piece of lint from Alec's shoulder. “Of course. I want us to be friends, I just need tonight. To think.”

When Magnus shuts the door, Alec rests his palms on the brightly colored door and allows himself thirty seconds to replay their kiss. The whole night had gone painfully, terribly awry but Alec knows with a certainty that startles him that he'll never truly regret the brief moments when he got to know what Magnus felt like beneath his palms and against his lips.

 


	5. Chapter 5

When Alec's alarm goes off the next morning, he can't bring himself to do more than roll over and bury his face in his pillow, blindly slapping at the alarm until it shuts off. His head pounds in time with his heartbeat, a persistent ache behind his eyes that makes him desperate to shut off his own thoughts. Anything to stop the whispered refrain of _I don’t understand_ that plays on cruel repeat alongside the image of Magnus curling into himself with that heart-achingly wounded expression in his eyes.

He feels shitty and awful and a little bit like a love-destroying monster. Pretty much exactly like he deserves, he thinks as he rolls up to a sitting position, a vain attempt to gather the motivation to get up, before he promptly flops back down to his back, grabbing his phone as he does. He’s typing a text to Maia before he can change his mind.

**ALEC:**

_I'm taking a personal day. Reschedule anything crucial. I’m sure you can handle everything else._

Almost instantly his phone lights up, three little dots indicating that Maia is already texting back.

**MAIA:**

_ALEC LIGHTWOOD IS TAKING A PERSONAL DAY?!_

_Seriously, are you ok? I can be there in 20 if you need me._

**ALEC:**

_I'm fine. I just need a day off._

**MAIA:**

_Alec…_

_I know you. This is clearly not an ‘I'm ok’ type move._

**ALEC:**

_Maia, I’m begging you, just drop it. Please._

**MAIA:**

_Aye, aye, captain._

The sarcastic response is almost enough to make him smile, but her follow-up text wipes away any trace of amusement.

**MAIA:**

_If this is about Magnus, I know you'll figure it out. Nobody deserves to be happy more than you._

Alec flings his phone on the bed without replying. Maia is wrong about one thing, Alec definitely doesn't deserve to be happy.

* * *

 Alec steadfastly ignores the pounding on his door halfway through _The Price is Right_ , certain that he doesn’t want to deal with anything, or _anyone_ , that might be on the other side. A second set of hands seems to join the first, the loud knocks reverberating through his apartment before he hears the telltale scratch of a key being shoved in the lock.

His door flies open with a triumphant shout from his sister, both of his siblings spilling through the door, their arms full of what looks to be half a liquor store and a thoroughly unhealthy amount of junk food.

“We weren't sure what kind of emergency this was so we brought a little bit of everything,” Iz says, walking past him to drop a box of wine, four bags of sour gummies, and a box of cupcakes on his coffee table. Jace follows closely behind, multiple bottles of liquor held tightly in his arms.

“I think your neighbors are afraid that we’re going to throw a rave.” Jace laughs even as he takes a moment to eye Alec, who is lying completely non-pathetically on the couch, _thank you very much._

“It's a whiskey day” Jace announces without further preamble.

“I knew it,” Izzy sighs dramatically, shoving at Alec’s feet to make room for herself on the couch before letting him plop his feet back in her lap.

Alec props himself up on an elbow, frowning at their invasion. “Guys, I’m fine. I don’t need whatever the hell this is.”

“Watching _The Price is Right_ on a Thursday morning when you’re supposed to be at work begs to differ.” Izzy eyes him, taking in his threadbare sweatpants and decade-old t-shirt, the uncombed mess of his hair, the dark smudges beneath his eyes. Her gaze softens with worried concern even as she teases, “Plus your outfit is a real cry for help.”

Alec has no idea why he's pushing them away when he desperately wants them to stay but he can't help asking, “Shouldn't you be at work?”

Jace and Izzy exchange looks, the kind that Alec and Izzy usually share when Jace is being bull-headed or stupid, the kind that very clearly screams _our brother is a moron_. “Nope,” his brother says, “Maia told us you took a personal day so we both took one too.”

“Stop trying to get rid of us,” Izzy frowns, squeezing his ankle in warning. “You obviously need us so we're staying.”

Jace leans over to nudge him on the shoulder, a commiserating sort of pat that loosens the knot in his chest and makes Alec feel a sharp burst of gratitude at having siblings who ride to his rescue without being called and then muscle their way into his shame spiral.

When Izzy reaches for his hands, he allows himself to be pulled to a seated position, partly because he actually does want the hug she seems so eager to give and partly because he's worried Jace might need supervision, his brother having disappeared into the kitchen with the booze bottles clutched in his hands.

Alec lets himself fold into Izzy's embrace, her fierce hold enough to shore up his frayed edges, a bandage to all the places that Alec ripped open when he walked away from Magnus.

“That bad?” she asks, her voice muffled against his shoulder.

“Worse,” Alec groans, letting her smother him with affection to drown out the clamor of regret that's steadily rising in his head.

Jace walks back out of the kitchen, three shot glasses and a bottle of whiskey in hand. He pours them each a shot and crosses his arms.

Alec rolls his eyes even as he lets Izzy nudge him forward. “It's 10:30, Jace, not exactly time for shots.”

“It's happy hour somewhere,” Jace shoots back, pushing their shot glasses across the coffee table. “Light ‘em up, kids.”

“First we drink,” Izzy reasons, reaching for her glass, “Then we’ll talk through whatever Magnus-related problem you've gotten yourself into.”

Alec grimaces but throws back the shot dutifully before gesturing for Jace to pour another. Izzy looks like she might protest, her lips pursed and concerned, but it's not long before she's tipping back her shot glass and following his lead, letting Jace pour her another.

Shots taken, Alec settles back onto the couch, taking one of the bags of sour gummies with him. Izzy curls up beside him, arms wrapped around her legs, her petite frame a reassuring presence at his side while Jace flops down in the chair to his right.

“Okay, Alec, spill,” she orders, her firm voice at odds with the gentle concern in her eyes.

He feels her hand rub soothingly up and down his arm as he struggles to find the words. “I kissed him” he finally croaks out, Jace and Izzy's eyebrows rise in identical expressions of surprise but they both stay silent, waiting for him to continue. “I kissed him then I told him it couldn't happen and then he kicked me out. Nicely. God, he's so nice.”

“Douche move, Alec.” Jace looks vaguely disapproving which is a little rich coming from his perpetually douchy, although always charming, brother but Alec can't say he's wrong.

“Jace, stop.” Izzy steals a handful of sour gummies from the open bag on Alec's lap and chucks them at him. “Not helpful... although, you know, definitely true.”

Alec shoves another couple of gummy worms in his mouth but inclines his head in silent agreement, smiling slightly as Jace munches on the candies Iz threw at him.

“So where did you kiss him?” Jace asks, accurately reading the room and pouring them another shot. “One of your office dates?”

Izzy is in the process of downing her shot when Jace's words register, the last of her whiskey erupting in a startled spray. “Office dates?”

“They've been having weird clandestine office dates for months,” Jace says casually, as if he's revealing nothing more interesting than the weather. “It's all Netflix and chill except I think they're actually chilling, not, like, hooking up.”

“Of course we weren't hooking up,” Alec mutters under his breath, “It's a place of business not a brothel.”

“You really are a prude,” Izzy says fondly, resting her head on his shoulder. “Tell me more about these dates.”

Whiskey buzzes through his veins but it's the warm weight of his sister draped against his side and his brother leaning in to clap his shoulder in solidarity that loosens his tongue, allowing the entire tale to spill forth. Alec is startled by how _good_ it feels to talk about Magnus.

By the end, Izzy’s smile is incandescent, “This is incredible, Alec, you _love_ him.”

Alec doesn't argue but his long sigh speaks volumes.

“Stop it,” she orders, looking motherly and fierce, “The time for moping is over. We’re going to move into a little something I like to call, solutions mode.”

Jace nods in agreement. “Don't worry, Alec, we're going to find a way for you to keep your man _and_ your moral high ground.”

Izzy and Jace high-five at that and, for a moment, Alec allows himself to hope for a brighter future than the one he's laid out for himself.

* * *

 Izzy and Jace stay through dinner, the three of them sprawled around Alec's living room, watching movies and tossing around ideas for _Operation: Stop Being a Douche to Your Man_ \- a working title, or so Izzy claims.

They've barely been gone twenty minutes when Alec hears yet another knock on his door. The impatient rap is so reminiscent of Jace that Alec throws the door open without a thought, already laughing. “Did you guys forget something? It better not be the whiskey because I'm keeping that.”

His laughter dies in his throat when he finds Magnus framed in his doorway, clad in his usual designer armor, looking calm and collected minus the oddly intense look in his eyes.

“You weren’t at work,” he says as if that explains his presence outside Alec’s door. “May I come in?”

Alec stumbles backward and gestures for Magnus to come in. For all of his imaginings, actually having Magnus Bane in his apartment hits him like the sweetest form of torture. It's everything that he wants wrapped up in everything he can't have, he’d laugh if it wasn’t so goddamn depressing.

Magnus glides past him and strolls the length of the open living space, taking it in with a discerning gaze, before he turns back to Alec. “Your place is very… you.”

The wry statement cracks a bit of the tension filling the room and Alec grins. “Boring and predictable?”

“Classic and comfortable,” Magnus corrects, trailing a finger over the dark leather of the sofa as he comes to a stop in the middle of the room, head cocked to the side as he surveys Alec from beneath his sinfully long lashes.

They watch each other silently before Magnus blows out a quick breath and mutters, “Screw it.”

Magnus crosses the room in four quick strides and then his lips are on Alec's, a hot press that's full of unspoken hurts and pent up tension but manages to still feel impossibly sweet, the press of fingertips along his jaw, featherlight and gentle.

They kiss for seconds, minutes, until Alec can't help but lick into Magnus’ mouth, no longer content to be a passive participant. His hands slip down to grip Magnus’ hips, tugging him closer as he skates one hand up beneath Magnus’ shirt to skim across the bare skin at the base of his spine.

Magnus sighs into his mouth, relaxing into Alec’s hold, his touch gentling even further, turning reverent as he slides his hands down Alec’s neck and over his shoulders, stopping to grip his biceps. It’s too much and not enough and Alec is on fire.

“Why are you so damn perfect?” Magnus murmurs as his lips follow the same path, sliding along Alec’s jaw before trailing down his neck, stopping to rest his forehead in the curve of Alec’s shoulder. “Even when I should be mad at you, I’m just- not.”

Alec’s breath stutters out, the resigned words punching him in the gut. “Magnus, I didn’t mean-,”

“Stop it,” Magnus says, pressing a kiss to the hint of collarbone exposed by Alec’s ratty t-shirt. “I don’t want apologies from you, darling, that’s not why I came.” He huffs out a tiny laugh, “I actually didn’t even come for _this_ although I’m not complaining about the turn of events.”

Alec feels more than sees the teasing waggle of Magnus’ eyebrows and nothing is fixed but he feels lighter all the same.

Magnus pulls back, reaching up to cup Alec's cheek gently. “I'm going to quit,” he announces, his lips curving up in a small smile as he runs a thumb along the arch of Alec's cheekbone.

Alec smiles back on instinct, still struck dumb by the feel of Magnus in his arms, the words taking longer than they should to filter through to his kiss-addled brain.

“You can't quit.”

“Actually,” Magnus drawls, looking almost amused by the delayed response, smug in his satisfaction at reducing Alec to a needy mess with just a kiss. “I can.”

“I would never ask you to quit. I don't _want_ you to quit.”

“You’re not asking, I'm offering. Telling really.” Magnus’ voice is firm and Alec almost physically aches to let him do it. To erase their problems in one fell swoop, removing the barrier that keeps Alec from being able to hold him like this every damn minute of the day.

“Darling,” Magnus continues, still running his fingers along Alec's jaw, scratching lightly at his stubble, “I love my job and I love working at L.E. but if that's what's keeping us apart then I'm willing to make a change. I can find a new job, but there's only one of you.”

“I'll quit then.” Alec says the words recklessly, but he's shocked to find that he means them. It seems there isn't much that Alec won't do for Magnus.

Magnus’ gaze goes molten at the offer even as he shakes his head. “Your mother would murder me if you quit because of me. I'd never ask you to give up working with your family.”

“But I should be okay with letting you make the sacrifice instead?”

“Alexander, we've spent months dancing around each other and we both know that we can't keep doing it.” Magnus arches an eyebrow as if daring Alec to disagree with him before he asks, “If I can fix our problem, why shouldn't I?”

“Because it's selfish. I won’t ask you to make such a huge sacrifice for me.” Alec argues even as he runs his fingers up the smooth bumps of the other man's spine. Now that he has Magnus in his arms, he's loathe to let him go.

Magnus goes up on his toes to lightly press a kiss to the corner of Alec's mouth, grinning at the way Alec chases after his lips when he pulls away. “I'd be making the sacrifice for _me_. It appears I'm the selfish one, darling, because I'm prepared to do just about anything to have you.”

The words knock Alec on his ass and he doesn't think as his wandering hands dip to grip Magnus by the back of his thighs, hitching him unceremoniously up into his arms. Magnus lets out a startled squeak that quickly dissolves into a delighted giggle as he wraps his legs around Alec's waist to help keep himself aloft. “Alexander, if I would have known that showing up at your apartment would result in being manhandled so deliciously, I would have come ages ago.”

“Shut up,” Alec mutters even though he can feel the wide, happy grin taking up permanent residence on his face. He presses a quick kiss to Magnus's temple as he walks them across the living room, settling on the couch with Magnus straddling his thighs.

“Now this,” Magnus says, his hips shifting in a teasing wiggle that makes Alec momentarily see stars, “Is something I could get used to.”

“Stop,” Alec begs even as his hips push up into the friction, his hands smoothing down the front of Magnus’ thighs.

Magnus stills his hips and pouts, “Spoilsport.”

“Come here,” Alec whispers, tugging him in closer until they're pressed together, chest to chest, Magnus at the perfect height for Alec to rest his forehead against the thrumming of the other man's heartbeat.

Magnus rests his chin on the top of Alec's head, one hand absentmindedly carding through his messy dark hair. The warm weight of Magnus in his lap and the light scratch of fingertips on his scalp leaves Alec bonelessly relaxed. “Maybe we should both quit,” he murmurs, “That way we never have to leave this couch.”

A huff of laughter comes from above and Alec presses his nose into the exposed hollow of Magnus's throat, smelling the warm hints of sandalwood and musk, before he flicks a tongue out to lick across the skin.

“None of that, darling, or I'll be forced to ravage you which I absolutely cannot do. I promised your lovely assistant that I'd be nothing but a gentleman if she gave me your address.”

Alec groans at the mention of Maia but lets himself indulge in one last sweep of his tongue before pulling back with a sigh. “Please don't quit,” he whispers feeling Magnus’ fingers tighten almost imperceptibly in his hair.

“Alexander-”

“Maybe you're right.” Alec indulges himself by nosing his way along the column of Magnus’ throat before he shifts to put some distance between them so they can lock eyes. “It might come down to one of us quitting but at least let me try to fix it first.”

Magnus crosses his arms, an adorably fierce scowl scrunching his nose. “You have 48 hours to figure out a way for us to both work here _and_ be together or I quit.”

It's a better offer than Alec expected so he nods in agreement causing a pleased smile to tug at Magnus’ lips. Alec reaches for the beautiful man on his lap, intent on resuming their prior activities, but Magnus avoids his hands with a laugh, sliding off Alec's lap to scooch across the sofa, settling on the opposite side.

Magnus wags a finger in his direction. “No more of that, you. Your virtue is going to be firmly intact when I walk back out that door.”

Alec sinks into the couch with a long-suffering sigh that only makes Magnus laugh harder. “Fire up your Netflix, Alexander, I want to see Jim propose to Pam.”

“Menace.”

The man in question rolls his eyes in response and stretches a leg across the couch to poke Alec in the side with a toe. “Your menace.”

Alec ducks his head, smiling softly to himself, before catching Magnus’ ankle in his hand and pulling his foot into his lap. “Yeah,” he replies, well aware that he has an undoubtedly dopey smile on his face, “You're mine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All aboard the fluff train!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To make up for this chapter being a week late, I present to you pure unadulterated Malec fluff. I don't know about you, but I needed it after 3x18. 
> 
> Thank you for all of your sweet comments on the last chapter. Every single one made me happy. <3

Alec wakes slowly, unusually warm and relaxed in a way that makes his lips tilt up in a smile for no other reason than he's _happy_. He enjoys the boneless feeling of being half awake for several long moments before he blinks his eyes open, his smile stretching even wider when he’s met with dark hair shot through with magenta highlights. Magnus is a welcome weight along his side, the other man’s breath skittering over the sensitive skin of Alec’s neck in slow streams, one hand splayed out over the bare skin of his hip.

Alec hums happily, stroking a hand up and down the smooth muscled planes of Magnus’ back, perfectly content to skip his morning workout if it means never having to leave his bed. More specifically, never having to leave Magnus in his bed. He may never run again if this is the alternative.

His happy musings are disrupted by Magnus shifting closer, a low groan rumbling from his chest as he buries his face deeper in the crook of Alec’s neck.

“You never told me you were a morning person,” Magnus mumbles against his skin, his tone so adorably affronted that Alec can’t help but laugh.

“What?”

“You’re humming,” Magnus accuses, “Only morning people and serial killers hum before noon.”

Alec laughs again, “Or people who managed to wake up next to the most beautiful person in the world.”

Magnus stills against him at the words, his hand drifting up to press flat against Alec’s chest directly over his thumping heart, the tiny gesture enough to send a frisson of joy sparking along Alec’s skin. “You’re a dangerous man, Alexander.”

Shifting closer to drape his body across Alec’s chest, Magnus leans in to kiss him, a slow, almost chaste press of his lips that leaves Alec breathless. They stay like that for a while, trading lazy kisses and soft sighs in the hazy glow of the early morning sunlight, until Magnus pulls away with a teasing grin.

“You're doing it again.”

Alec blinks at him in confusion. “What?”

The hand Magnus strokes across his cheek is tender. “Humming,” he says, watching him with an expression that should feel too intense considering they haven't even defined what they are but Alec finds that it feels just right. The weight of expectation in Magnus’ gaze is a welcome pressure, a grounding responsibility that he longs to fulfill.

Magnus’ fingers continue stroking over the planes of Alec’s face, the curve of his cheekbone, the firm line of his jaw, a soft stroke across his bottom lip. “I can’t imagine not getting to have this with you.” Magnus whispers into the quiet between them.

Alec nuzzles into his palm, kissing the base of each finger individually, ending with a tender kiss to the center of his palm.

“I’m so sorry.”

A thumb reaches up to smooth over his furrowed brow, Magnus pulling back just slightly to search Alec’s eyes, “For what, darling?”

“For hurting you the other night,” Alec explains, tilting his head just enough to bring their foreheads together, reveling in the way Magnus slips a hand around to the nape of his neck, holding him close. “I didn't mean to and I wish I could take it back. I never should have blindsided you like that and-”

“Stop it.”

“But-”

Magnus leans in to quiet him with another kiss. “While I would prefer that we actually discuss our problems in the future, I think we both deserve some of the blame for how things happened. I knew something was holding you back and I should have pushed for you to tell me.” Another lingering press of his lips followed by another and another, “Neither of us was perfect, but that just means we have a chance to do better next time.”

“Next time,” Alec repeats, his lips relaxing back into the happy grin that seems to have become his default expression when Magnus is nearby. “I like that we have a next time.”

“Me too.”

Magnus drops a light kiss on the end of Alec’s nose before attempting to sit up, chuckling as Alec whines in disappointment and tries to pull Magnus back into his arms. “None of that,” Magnus says sternly even though his eyes sparkle with barely constrained delight. “We both have to get ready for work and I can’t have you distracting me.”

“ _I_ _’m_ the one being distracting?” Alec questions, watching Magnus slide off the bed, a veritable dream of sleek muscles and tanned skin. The borrowed sweatpants hang low on his hips, highlighting the v-cut of his abs, making Alec want to explore every inch of him. Preferably with his tongue.

When he manages to drag his eyes north, he finds himself the subject of Magnus’ amused scrutiny.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

The words are little more than a purr, and, judging by Magnus’ expression, he knows exactly what gutter Alec's mind is lost in.

“You can have them for free if you come back over here.” Alec pats the bed invitingly, pleased when his voice doesn't reveal just how affected he is.

“If I do that,” Magnus drawls out, his mild tone at odds with the very real heat in his gaze, “We both know what will happen.”

“And?”

Magnus regards him fondly, his eyes burning with an emotion that Alec recognizes but doesn't name, not yet. “We are going to be very late,” Magnus finally says, shifting on his feet as if working up the momentum to actually walk away

Alec just grins. “We could be later. Much, much later.”

Magnus lets out a startled laugh, his gaze sliding over Alec in a slow perusal. “That is an exceedingly tempting offer, darling, and it almost makes me want to forget that I promised to be a gentleman, but, alas, I cannot.”

The words make them both giggle and Alec is struck dumb by how easy this all is. For all the time they spent as coworkers and then as friends, it's this new step into something more that feels like coming home. It's the first time another person has felt irrevocably _right_.

He watches Magnus and it feels like a puzzle piece slotting into place.

All subsequent thoughts are short-circuited right out of his head when Magnus hooks his thumbs in the waistband of his sweatpants and shoves them down. His briefs are a satin-y purple and Alec is pretty sure he's forgotten how to breathe.

“Like what you see?” Magnus asks with a tiny wiggle of his hips and a pleased smirk.

Alec's mouth goes dry. “Menace,” he manages to choke out as Magnus sinuously bends down to grab his clothes from the floor, the position offering a perfectly delectable view of his ass that Alec knows will be burned into his brain for eternity.

“I know you’re doing that on purpose,” Alec calls after him when Magnus puts an extra roll into his hips with each stride as he heads toward the bathroom, pausing at the door to look over his shoulder and wink.

Alec collapses back on the bed, feeling lighter than he has in months. It's easy in the moment to ignore the fact that they still have things to work out. Here in the privacy of his apartment, they can just be Alec and Magnus, two people trying to figure out how to be in a relationship.

Eventually the need for coffee overrides Alec’s desire to never leave his bed and he makes his way to the kitchen, shrugging on a t-shirt as he goes.

He putters around the kitchen, brewing a pot of coffee and staring into his empty fridge with despairing eyes, semi-convinced that Magnus is going to regret taking a chance on him when he realizes that Alec has four bags of frozen gummy bears in his freezer and little else. There's a bagel tucked into the back of the fridge that Alec seizes with glee before gasping in alarm when he realizes it's green with mold on one side. Perhaps just coffee will have to suffice today, he thinks, even as he vows to be better at adulting.

By the time Alec has two cups of coffee ready, he hears footsteps pattering down the hallway and looks up to find Magnus leaning against the door jamb looking unfairly attractive even though he's unshowered and wearing day-old clothes.

Alec finishes stirring sugar into Magnus’ cup and nudges it across the table. “Do you have time for coffee?”

“Not really,” Magnus says with an amused tilt of his lips, “But I never have been good at resisting you.”

“One cup and I promise I'll let you go.”

Magnus tsks at the words, “I'd prefer that you promise not to.”

The words light a spark that steadily grows until Alec is forced to take a giant gulp of his drink to hide the enormous smile that's threatening to take up permanent residence on his face.

“So I was thinking, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

Magnus leans against the kitchen island, mug in hand, looking so at home that Alec barely restrains himself from pulling the other man into his lap. It should be embarrassing how little resistance Alec is able to muster now that he's given up trying to maintain a wall between them, but he finds that he doesn't care. Not when Magnus is barefoot in his kitchen looking like all of his dreams come true, smiling at him like he thinks _Alec_ is the dream.

“I could pick up Ethiopian.”

“I was actually thinking we could go out?” Alec rakes a hand through his bedhead, feeling almost shy as he throws out the suggestion.

“Like on a date?” Magnus questions, looking delighted by the prospect.

Alec beams back, “Yeah, like a date.”

The soft, pleased smile that greets his words is all the invitation Alec needs to give in to his earlier urge, reaching out to tug Magnus into his lap, the other man landing in an ungraceful sprawl that leaves them both giggling even as coffee sloshes over the edge of the mug and drips down Alec's t-shirt.

They rearrange their limbs until they're comfortably resting together and silence reigns as Magnus sips his coffee while Alec contemplates what kind of karma is responsible for the man in his lap. He must have done something very, _very_ good in a past life.

Magnus strokes his fingers through Alec’s hair, looking contemplative. "Are you sure you're okay with all of this?"

The question surprises him but he takes a beat to weigh his words before speaking. "I know it took me awhile to get here but I want this. I want _you._ "

"And the rest?"

A huff of laughter. "That part isn't my favorite," Alec admits resting his chin on Magnus's shoulder, pressing a series of whisper soft kisses across the expanse of warm skin exposed by his collar. "But I'm ready to handle it. Together."

Magnus lets out a long shuddering breath and squeezes his eyes shut for a moment before he blinks them back open, the open adoration in his gaze almost enough to bring Alec to his knees. "Okay," he says simply accepting Alec's words as the unvarnished truth that they are.

"What do you think about taking the day off?"

"Alexander Lightwood wants to take _another_ day off? My, my, my, darling, you are quite the rebel these days."

"Hush," Alex murmurs, pinching Magnus lightly in the side even though there's more than a hint of truth to the words. Before yesterday, he hadn't taken an unplanned day off in years and it makes him feel young and carefree to be contemplating the idea now. "I'm serious. Let's both take the day off and do something fun. I can't remember the last time I played hooky for anything good. Spending a day with my boyfriend sounds perfect."

The word slips out easily, surprising Alec with how much it _doesn't_ surprise him. He rolls the word around in his mind and finds he likes it. It doesn't feel rushed or scary or like it's too much. It fits. It feels right.

Alec cocks his head at Magnus, silently asking if they're in agreement even as he reaches out to thread their fingers together, willing to wait if Magnus needs more time.

"Your _boyfriend_ would love that," Magnus finally says, his fingers tightening around Alec's.

And it's there in his kitchen, with Magnus curled comfortably in his lap, that Alec lets himself think the words that have been true for far longer than he cares to admit.

_I love Magnus Bane._

 


	7. Chapter 7

Alec tumbles through Magnus' apartment door, his boyfriend hot on his heels. The door is still swinging shut behind them as Magnus crowds him against the wall, caging him in with strong arms, their sweaty bodies pressed together from chest to thigh. Alec sinks both hands into Magnus' hair, their hips grinding together with delicious friction.

"We should not be doing this now," Magnus gasps out between hot, open-mouthed kisses along the length of Alec's throat. "Work-"

Alec arches his neck, giving Magnus further access to the sensitive stretch of skin. "This is all your fault," Alec manages to get out before he guides Magnus' lips back to his own, allowing himself to sink whole-heartedly into the sensation of slick lips and hot tongues.  

"It was your idea to go running," Magnus accuses, gasping as Alec slides his hands up Magnus’ chest to push the running vest off the other man’s shoulders, only to drag his mouth across the newly bared expanse of collarbone, sucking lightly at the base of his throat before moving back up to his lips.

"Well, it was _your_ idea to wear these pants," Alec slips his hands down to glide over the curve of Magnus' lycra-clad ass, his running tights doing little to hide the muscular shape. "They do things to me."

Magnus lets out a breathy giggle and Alec is helpless against the rising tide of joy that floods his body at the sound. He smiles against Magnus' lips, a blindingly happy, just because smile that disrupts their kiss and makes Magnus laugh again when he sees it.

“Would you stop being so damn happy and just kiss me?” he grouses, ghosting his fingertips up beneath Alec’s t-shirt to settle on his hips.

Alec gladly obeys half of the command, tilting his head to recapture Magnus' lips. Their kisses are slow and sweet, the earlier heat dissipating as Alec lets his eyes slip shut, his attention fully focused on the man in his arms. It takes a shocking amount of willpower not to yank him in closer when Magnus finally leans back, a contented sigh on his lips, his hands still curved around Alec’s hips.

It’s easy and familiar and so damn good that Alec feels emotionally wrecked by nothing more than sheer affection, his feelings an odd mix of thrilling newness tangled up with warm, steady, _settled_ love.

"We should get ready for work," Alec murmurs regretfully, burying his face in the side of his boyfriend's neck, nuzzling closer when Magnus cards through his hair.

Magnus hums in agreement. "A shower is non-negotiable, I'm afraid. Especially now that you've mussed me all up."

"I like you mussed,” Alec says simply, absurdly pleased at the privilege of being the person who gets to see Magnus in this perfectly imperfect state. Sweat has smudged the last remainders of yesterday’s eyeliner beneath one eye and his hair is in a glorious disarray but Alec thinks he’s never seen anything more beautiful.

Magnus huffs in laughter and continues scratching lightly at Alec’s scalp, smiling softly when Alec lets out a sound that’s embarrassingly close to a purr. Alec is almost boneless when Magnus’ fingers still in his hair.

"Darling, I know you've been avoiding the subject but we should probably talk about work."

“That wasn’t fair,” Alec complains, face still nestled into the curve of Magnus’ sweat damp shoulder, his body all but comatose with pleasure. “Is this your version of Izzy’s wine night? You cuddle me until I’m too weak to resist?”

“Would that work?”

Magnus sounds surprised, like the idea that Alec is weak enough to be swayed by cuddles has never occurred to him.

"Probably," Alec admits, pulling away just enough to meet Magnus’ gaze. "I haven't been avoiding the subject. At least not really. Mostly I just wanted to fix things before we discussed it again."

Magnus sighs, looking equal parts charmed and exasperated, "I don't need you to fix things, Alec. What I _need_ is for you to promise me that you’re not going to blame yourself if I choose to quit.” The words are earnest and Magnus' fingers tighten reflexively in Alec's hair. “Because it _is_ a choice."

"But you're only making it because of me."

Alec hears the strained note in his own voice and Magnus must too, his eyes softening as he moves a hand to cradle Alec's jaw. "I took this job because of you, you know. I don't think I ever told you that."

"What do you mean?"

"I had offers from three other firms before I interviewed with you, but I showed up at L.E. and there you were. Sweet, serious, beautiful you and I couldn't have chosen anywhere else if I'd tried. You could have paid me in Monopoly money and I still would have accepted the job."

Magnus looks vaguely embarrassed by his admission so Alec confesses to a secret of his own, "I cancelled all of the interviews after you. It was highly unprofessional and Maia teased me for _weeks_ but I knew nobody else would live up to you so I just- didn't do them."

"You should have asked me out and hired somebody else," Magnus says, the words a gentle tease, "It would have saved us all this drama."

Alec's chest physically aches at the idea of sacrificing the last nine months and he can't bring himself to agree even if it would have been the easiest, maybe even fastest, path to where they are now. Almost everything that's brought them to this place- a place that feels a lot like forever- has happened at L.E. and Alec doesn't regret a moment. His office will forever be the place where he fell in love with Magnus.

Magnus must read the complicated mess of feelings on his face, his fingers stroking over the wrinkled skin between his brows. "I wouldn't give it up either, darling."

A sigh escapes him and Alec lets himself fully relax back into Magnus's hold. "Ok," he breathes, "I promise not to feel guilty if I can't fix this."

At Magnus' raised eyebrow, he amends his statement, "Fine, I won't feel guilty if I don't change your mind by coming up with a problem-solving solution in the next 24 hours."

"That's better," Magnus says primly, even as his eyes dance with amusement.

"You should shower," Alec urges when neither makes a move to step apart. "I'll make us coffee and jump in when you're done."

Magnus smiles gratefully even as he warns, "The hot water heater sucks so don't expect a hot shower."

"I could probably use the cold shower after all this."

"Sorry about that." Magnus smirks up at him, looking distinctly _unsorry._

Alec leans in to kiss him just one more time, unable to resist that face, before resting his hands on Magnus' hips and gently pushing him in the direction of the bathroom. "Go. We're already going to be late."

* * *

 

Izzy is perched on his desk, lattes in hand, when Alec finally gets to his office, his cheek still tingling from Magnus' goodbye kiss in the elevator. Her legs swing playfully and for a moment Alec sees the little girl who used to ask him to braid her hair and babysit her dolls. The illusion is shattered when she wolf whistles at Simon as he walks past the open door and Alec groans, “Stop being gross.”

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, you better start talking," she threatens, hopping off the desk to stalk toward him, her eyes belying her amusement at the situation. "You called in two days in a row and now you're _late_? Have you been body snatched?"

"Iz…"

Her tone turns speculative as she inspects him like a subject under one of her microscopes, “And you look suspiciously happy. Why so cheerful, hermano?”

Alec grabs one of the coffees, needing more caffeine if he's going to withstand an Isabelle Lightwood interrogation this early in the day. “I got a good night's sleep,” he answers honestly.

Waking up with his boyfriend, this time nestled on golden silk sheets, was just as heart-stoppingly perfect the second time around and Alec can't imagine ever tiring of the soft touches and bed-warmed skin that come along with sharing a bed with Magnus.

Izzy crosses her arms and cocks a hip as she stares him down, eyebrows knitting together as she judges the sincerity of his words. “You're a terrible liar, Alec. Try again.” she says, her tone the very definition of a bossy little sister. Alec can't resist reaching out to ruffle her hair, smiling when it makes her shriek in outrage and swat at his hands.

"I was with Magnus yesterday," he admits. As much as he doesn't want to deal with this right now, he _does_ want to talk with his sister and he suspects she won't leave him alone until she ferrets the truth out of him anyway.

Izzy claps her hands and leans forward, lowering her voice to just above an excited whisper, “Oh my god!"

Suddenly she lurches toward him and grabs his collar to pull him down to her height, leaning in to sniff his neck.

"What the hell, Iz!"

"You little hussy, you slept with him!"

Alec's mouth drops open at her announcement and he sputters helplessly as she leans a hip on his desk and grins, confident in her triumph. "You smell like him," she notes, "It's a dead giveaway."

His glowering warning does little to slow her down. “My brother,” she sighs, faking a dramatic swoon for effect, “Burning up the sheets with Magnus Bane. I'm proud of you, Alec.”

“We didn’t do _that._  I just slept over.”

“Not even a little bit?” she presses.

Alec quickly checks to make sure no one is within ear shot and leans forward to hiss, “We are _not_ talking about my sex life at work.”

“So you do have a sex life that needs discussing,” she crows, conveniently only hearing the portion of his sentence that interests her. “We are definitely revisiting this topic at the next Lightwood family dinner.”

The idea makes him grimace. “Nothing says family fun like discussing your sexual proclivities with your siblings. Should I prepare a PowerPoint of my favorite positions?”

A shadow pauses outside his door and his cheeks flush beet red when he sees Maia walking past his door, both eyebrows raised, mouth open in a silent O. “That was sarcasm and obviously not work appropriate,” he yells after her.

Izzy is giggling behind her hand when Alec turns back to look at her, murder in his eyes. “Are we done here?”

“Absolutely not,” Izzy sunnily replies, looking unperturbed by his glower, “You haven’t told me a single thing about what happened with Magnus and I want _all_ the details.”

“He came over. We talked. We're dating. End of story.”

Her eyes roll, but her blindingly wide smile doesn't dim. "And work? Have you finally decided to get over your hang ups?"

“Not exactly,” Alec admits sheepishly, ignoring Izzy's loud groan. “Magnus offered to quit but we made a deal that he'd give me two days to figure out a different plan first.”

“And… do you _have_ a plan?”

“I'm working on a few options.”

Iz gestures with her hand for Alec to continue. “Such as?”

“Obviously, option one is dating in secret until we eventually get married. That way we can reveal our relationship once it's super official.”

“I'm going to move past that marriage thing because _of course_ that's where you're at,” Izzy says with another fond yet oddly proud eye roll, “That idea might work if there was any chance that you could pull it off.”

“What do you mean?”

“Alec, there is zero chance that you could date Magnus and keep it quiet. You've been _not_ dating for months and your heart eyes could have been seen from space.”

After a second, Alec concedes to her point with a shrug, she's probably right, there's no way he’s going to be able to keep his feelings under wraps now that he knows what it's like to have Magnus Bane’s lips on his. He has a feeling that his days of pretending indifference are over.

“Option two?” Izzy prompts.

“I let Magnus quit.”

Even saying the words makes Alec cringe and he's grateful when Izzy makes a loud _eeehhh_ wrong answer sound with an emphatic thumbs down. "That idea sucks. Next!"

Alec draws in a deep breath. “Option three is just dating Magnus. No quitting, no hiding, just me dating him openly and accepting the consequences.”

Izzy's eyes soften when she notes the way his shoulders have tightened, tension bleeding into his frame at the idea. “I think,” she says gently, “That we both know it would never sit right with you. Some people could do it, Alec, but not you.”

“I could try for Magnus.”

“He won’t ask you to.” Izzy sounds certain. “Do you have an option four?”

“Yeah, it’s figure out a better option than one through three,” Alec says wryly.

Izzy laughs softly at that, nudging into his arm with her shoulder. "I really am proud of you."

A burst of affection blooms in his chest and he wraps an arm around her, resting his cheek on her dark curls. "Thanks, Izzy," he whispers.

She returns his hug with easy affection before poking him in the side with a laugh, “Alec Lightwood, you are wild as hell sometimes.”

“Excuse me?”

Alec is relatively certain that nobody has ever referred to him as _wild as hell_ before. In fact, it's probably a universal truth that he's categorically the opposite. _Staid as fuck_ perhaps. _Responsible to a fault_ definitely.

“You spent almost an entire year pretending you weren’t madly in love with Magnus before suddenly being all _YOLO_ and just, like, giving in completely. It's all very... you."

Before Alec can say anything else, Maia steps through his door with a cheeky grin. "If you're done detailing your favorite sexual positions, your mom wants to see you."

Alec groans and offers, "You can take a two hour lunch if I never have to hear about this again."

Maia is quick to rush forward with an extended pinky, twining their fingers together, "Promise?"

"You're an extortionist," Alec says, "But yes, I promise."

"Deal."

Izzy's eyes are wide and amused as they swing between Maia and Alec, watching their interaction with barely constrained glee. "Did you just _bribe_ your assistant?"

Alec drops his head into his hands with another groan while Maia states matter of factly, "He totally just bribed me. He does it all the time."

"Wild as hell," Izzy repeats fondly, jabbing him a few more times in the side for good measure, "You're just out here snagging the office hotties and bribing your assistants without shame. I cannot _wait_ to tell Jace that the Lightwood golden boy is just as garbage as the rest of us."

"Izzy," Alec hisses in warning.

His sister just rolls her eyes. "Honestly, Alec, if you don't think Maia knows about you and Magnus, you're nuts. She probably knows more than I do."

His gaze swings to Maia and she just shrugs, "Probably."

Izzy is still laughing when she walks out the door and Alec looks up to find Maia watching him with apprising eyes.

"What?"

The question comes out a touch more aggressive than intended but it only makes Maia's gaze soften further.  "Look, I don't know exactly what's going on here but I _do_ know you, Alec. If you're letting work stop you from being with Magnus, well- that's just dumb."

"Maia-"

"You're being ridiculous. If anyone was going to accuse you of favoritism toward Magnus, it would have happened ages ago. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, knows you have feelings for him. Plus this entire place is built on nepotism so, really, that ship has sailed." Maia’s expression is mulish as she continues, “For God's sake, your mother lets Jace run a department!”

“Hey,” Alec protests, mostly out of sibling loyalty, “Jace is great at his job."

“His entire sales team takes PTO on the honor system,” Maia shoots back, her expression caught somewhere between amused and exasperated.

When Alec looks like he might protest, Maia holds up a hand to stop him. “I'm not saying Jace isn't great because he is. I'm just saying that you're also great and we all know it. Nobody thinks you're the kind of guy who would take advantage of someone."

"We're dating," Alec says abruptly, his lips quirking up when Maia appears stunned into silence for once. "I haven't quite figured out the work stuff but everything else... well, that part is figured out."

Alec isn't sure what reaction he was expecting but Maia's giant eye roll isn't it.

"Go talk to your mom, Alec."

Alec opens his mouth to say something else but Maia sweeps back out of his office with one last parting shot. "God, you're a dumb dumb sometimes."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Up next, Mama Lightwood saves the day!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been terrible at updating on time but I've been loving all your comments and kudos, they keep me going. Special shout out to anyone who's tweeted at me, I've loved every tweet and they make me so motivated to write more.

A direct summons from Maryse Lightwood isn’t something easily ignored but Alec manages well enough for most of the morning. Or, at the very least, he pretends to. His attempts to work result in little more than a blank excel spreadsheet and an almost overwhelming urge to go see Magnus, but nobody disrupts him and his mom doesn’t swoop into his office unannounced so Alec is willing to count it as a win even if he is a bit disturbed by the frankly insane amount of times Maia and Izzy have trolled past his doorway.

Alec wants to be annoyed by their behavior but he finds that he can't summon up anything stronger than exasperated amusement. Being the object of their collective worried affection isn't something that Alec takes lightly and a part of him finds that he doesn't want to discourage their interest so he skips chastising them for their over involvement in his life and just lets out a fond huff every time he sees them peek into his doorway before making another tally on his notepad. He's up to 45 marks.

He has a feeling that productivity at Lightwood Enterprises is at an all time low this morning.

“Subtlety is not your strong suit,” he calls out when first Maia and then Izzy strolls past his doorway yet again, their faces schooled into matching casually disinterested expressions that can't quite mask the avid interest in their eyes.

Alec is really looking forward to the day when his love life ceases to be newsworthy.

His phone buzzes with a text and he’s unsurprised to find that the office gossip train has carried news of his mother’s summons all the way to Magnus.

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _A little birdie told me your mother wants to see you._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _Let me guess…_ _Simon_ _?_

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _…._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _You'd think my own sister could keep a secret._

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _She's excited, Alexander. I think it's sweet. And Simon just wanted to commiserate about how difficult it can be to date a Lightwood. I believe the words 'too gorgeous for their own good' and 'brain-meltingly adorable' were tossed around._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _Oh God_

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _Can't say I disagree with his assessment of your finer attributes._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _I’m pretty fond of your fine attributes too._

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _You're welcome to get up close and personal with them as soon as you're done with your mom. Think of it like positive reinforcement. You do the hard thing and then we get to make out._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _But then we'll just have TWO hard things._

 **MAGNUS:** **  
** _That was a truly awful joke, darling, and I will not be dignifying it with a response._

 **ALEC:** **  
** _Pretty sure you just did._

_Also, I’m holding you to that positive reinforcement thing._

_Wish me luck?_

**MAGNUS:** **  
** _You don't need luck, you have me. <3 _

Alec slouches back into his chair, his lips curved up in response to Magnus’ final text and lets his head drop back with a sigh. He hears tentative footsteps approach and he cracks an eye open to find Maia slipping a double dose of sour gummies across his desk.

“You look like you need these.”

“This right here is why we’re best friends.”

The words are flippant, tossed out with the same spontaneity as their usual banter, but the truth of them hits Alec square in the chest the moment they leave his lips.

“Holy shit,” he breathes, “You are one of my best friends.”

Maia manages to look both unimpressed and thoroughly touched. “I know."

"Please do not Han Solo me right now, Maia."

"You're spending too much time with Simon," she notes even as her face lights up in one of her trademark wide, toothy, all too pleased grins as she admits, "You’re one of my best friends too, moron.”

Oddly enough, Alec finds it somewhat comforting to discover that Magnus isn't the only L.E. employee that he's let so far into his life. He and Maia have been working together for years and aside from his mom forbidding him to give her such frequent raises, they've managed to do so without incident even as they've gotten closer. It gives him hope that his relationship with Magnus can be as easily navigated.

Alec stands up slowly, his nerves settling as he steels his spine, and moves around the desk to face Maia.

"I'm ready to see my mom."

Maia watches him steadily, hearing his unsaid words perhaps even better than she hears the spoken ones and her eyes flick over his features before she launches herself into his arms for an impromptu hug.

"Go get 'em, Tiger." The whisper in his ear is fierce, her hold even more so.

"Maia-"

She releases him abruptly and steps back, her casually aloof assistant face firmly back in place and points at the door. "Go. I've been putting off your mom all morning and I have a bad feeling that she's on the verge of storming our castle gates pretty soon."

Alec takes a moment to methodically shovel the remaining candy into his mouth and rubs his sugar-coated fingers on his pants, ignoring Maia's dismayed gaze at the casual destruction of his slacks. "Okay, I can do this," he mutters mostly to himself, rolling his shoulders like a boxer before a match.

"You don't even know what she wants," Maia points out, annoyingly logical as always.

"My mom hates impromptu meetings. Trust me, _she knows_."

Maia giggles a little at the way Alec leans in to whisper the last two words, looking side to side cautiously as if imparting state secrets. Her eyes widen for effect as she leans in to whisper back.

"Do you mean she knows about your clandestine affair with Magnus?"

At Alec's solemn nod, she gasps and presses a hand to her chest, "But how? You've been so subtle!"

His lips press into a thin line at her words and it makes her break into a fresh peal of giggles. "Oh, Alec, you know I'm just teasing. You and Magnus are going to be _fine_."

"Define fine."

Maia rolls her eyes in that incredibly fond, _I love you but you're dumb_ kind of way that she's made an art form and smiles. "Together," she finally says, reaching out to poke at his cheeks until he can't help but smile back. "It means you'll be together."

Her words elicit a sharp punch of happiness and Alec’s smile grows before he reaches out to wrap her back up in a bear hug, her hands grabbing onto his biceps as her feet leave the ground.

“You’re the worst,” she mumbles into his shoulder even as she hugs him back with surprisingly strong arms, leaning her temple against his with sweet affection.

The sentimental mood disappears in an instant as Maia flicks him lightly in the ear, ignoring his startled yelp. “Now put me down, you big lug, I have work to do and you have a mess to sort out."

"Way to ruin the mood," Alec complains, letting out a dramatic sigh just to irritate Maia, "Some best friend you are."

"Stop stalling, Alec."

"Who said I'm stalling?"

"This ridiculous conversation says you're stalling." As always, Maia speaks with the conviction of someone who's almost always right and Alec finds that he loves her for it.

He lets out a long sigh. "Fine. I'm going."

She grins at his dramatics and swats him on the ass on her way out the door, "You can do it, pal."

* * *

 When Alec walks into his mom’s office, he feels the remaining static sparks of his nerves quiet, the peaceful tranquility of _home_ settling into his skin as he takes in the familiar glass walls and sleek furnishings. The entire space teems with so much history and nostalgia that Alec always feels a bit like he’s walking back into his childhood.

He looks around the room and sees Izzy learning to walk, her chubby toddler legs always moving a bit slower than the rest of her. Sees the afternoons spent lying on the sun-dappled patch of carpet working on homework with his siblings while his mom negotiated contracts and proofed their work in equal measure. Sees his mom laughing, barefoot and happy, as she put off calls just to dance with her kids, never too busy to make them feel important. To make them feel _loved_.

Her office is full of memories and joy and _family_ and Alec loves it.

Maryse is staring out over the city, the glass walls of her office giving an unobstructed 180 degree view of Manhattan. Alec smiles when he sees her hair down and curled, the soft waves making her look much too young to be the mom of three fully grown adults.

He knocks lightly on her office door, not wanting to startle her, and walks in to stand beside her. "You wanted to see me?"

Maryse turns toward him, her smile a touch warmer than what Alec usually sees from her at the office, and she reaches out to clasp his arm, steering him toward the white leather sofa along the wall, "Yes, I did. I see you've taken your sweet time in getting here."

Her eyes dance as Alec flushes at her gentle chastisement. "Sorry, mom. I was- busy."

"Busy avoiding me, maybe."

Alec doesn't bother arguing, his mom has an uncanny way of seeing the truth in all of them and he doesn't want to start their conversation with even a petty white lie between them.

They settle on the couch, Maryse maintaining her grasp on Alec's arm, her lips curled up in a fond smile that reminds Alec of fresh baked cookies and salsa dancing in their kitchen.

On instinct, Alec leans forward to buss a kiss on her cheek. "I love you, mom."

Her free hand reaches up to cup his cheek, her eyes glistening, "I love you too, mijo."

"Mom-"

She interrupts his words with a soft pat to his cheek. "Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?"

The unexpected question draws Alec's eyebrows together in wariness. "No? But I know you are."

Maryse smiles softly at that but her face is pinched with concern. "Some days I worry that I put too much pressure on you, Alec. You've always been so willing to step up and do what needs to be done and I'm afraid I took advantage of that."

"Mom-"

"I'm sorry if I made you feel like you needed to live up to some impossible ideal to please me, that was never my intention."

"Mom, stop," Alec interrupts more forcefully this time, "What is this about? You know I don't think any of that."

A lone tear streaks down Maryse's cheek. "I just want you to be happy, Alec, no matter what that means. And no matter what rules you need to break."

Alec knows they're talking about Magnus, at least in some abstract way, but he can't figure out why his mom is treating his weakness like it's hers.

"I'm sure you've heard about what's going on," Alec starts slowly.

He doesn't get to say anything further before Maryse jumps in, her hand squeezing his forearm as she speaks, "Alec, I've decided to resume some of the corporate responsibilities."

His head shoots up at her words. "What? If this is about-"

Maryse holds up a hand to silence him. "Starting tomorrow, I'm going to shift direct supervision for the development and marketing teams to myself. You'll retain control over legal, sales, IT and finance."

"But-" he says, puzzling over her words in an attempt to make sense of her sudden desire to take back the reins on responsibilities that she'd happily passed off years ago. "Oh," he breathes as he replays their conversation to take note of the teams she's moved back under her supervision.

His mother smiles as understanding dawns. "It's recently come to my attention that you're in love."

"I haven't even told him yet, but, sure, let's just treat it like common knowledge," Alec mutters under his breath.

"More importantly," she says, "I've been told that the only reason you didn't pursue Magnus earlier is because you were worried about how it would look."

Alec shrugs helplessly, "I'm the boss. Dating Magnus looks like an abuse of power even if we shift direct supervision to you and not me."

"Maybe," Maryse concedes, never one to lie for the sake of his feelings, "But, if the alternative is Magnus leaving, I'd rather you just suck it up."

Alec gapes at his mom, "You want me to _suck it up?_ "

"Yes."

"But-"

"Magnus is a genius. He's brilliant and charming and our marketing efforts have never been better. I'm happy to help you find a way to feel okay with dating an employee but I won't let you run off my favorite employee just because you have an overdeveloped sense of honor."

"Oh my God, mom-"

A hand gesture stops his protestation, his mom grasping his hand with both of hers. "This may not be a perfect solution, but it _is_ a solution, Alec. You need to trust that our employees know what kind of man you are and they'll know that Magnus is the exception and not the rule."

Alec peeks at his mom from beneath his lashes and finds her watching him with motherly fondness and he suddenly caves without further argument, tired of pretending that Magnus isn't worth the compromise. "Ok," he breathes out.

"Good," she says, releasing his hand, her posture slowly stiffening back into that of Maryse Lightwood, CEO, and losing the softness that is Maryse the mom.

“Sure you don’t want sales,” Alec teases, feeling lighter than he has in months.

Maryse laughs, loud and bright, “Oh, I’ve done my time with Jace. I survived his high school years and now it’s your turn to keep him in line."

"Thanks, mom." Alec leans in to wrap her in his arms, wanting to tell her in actions if not in words how much she means to him, how important she is.

Maryse leans into his hug and presses a kiss to his cheek. "Be happy, Alec, that's all I want."

Alec feels the phantom press of Magnus' mouth on his neck and grins, rubbing a hand over the sensitive patch of skin that his boyfriend worshipped earlier, "I will be."

Maryse smiles, wide and happy and pleased, "That's all I want, mi corazon."

"Te quiero, mama."

  



	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing this chapter felt like pulling teeth so my apologies for both the wait and for the quality because I'm still not overly pleased with it. Writing is weird, y'all.

Alec is barely finished hugging his mom when Lydia Branwell breezes into Maryse’s office, heels clicking with almost military precision.Their head of human resources is briskly efficient, not to mention a firm believer in maintaining appropriate office boundaries, so it’s a bit of a shock when she shoots him an enthusiastic thumbs up from behind his mom’s back and mouths “ _Magnus_?” while pretending to swoon. 

The blatant sign of approval is disconcerting to say the least but her genuine enthusiasm goes a long way toward easing the last of his tension surrounding how the rest of the company might react.

He can't help but beam back at her, knowing the true depth of his happiness is fully on display, and the amused smirk on her lips slips, her gaze softening into something more sincere. 

"Good for you, Alec," she says under her breath, leaning close to drop a stack of papers in front of him for signature. "We all think it's great."

He inclines his head in thanks, already planning to ask Magnus if they should invite Lydia out for drinks some time, wanting to return this strange friendship olive branch that she's extended. Lydia doesn't say anything more, merely returns her attention to Maryse with a toss of her blonde hair. Between one blink and the next, she's back to being the no nonsense professional badass that Alec has known all these years except now he knows she's a total romantic under those well-cut blazers.

Alec speeds his way through the papers, scribbling his name on each page that Lydia has flagged, barely stopping to read the words. He doesn't notice the insistent tap of his toes until his mom glances up sharply, her eyes discerning behind her reading glasses. "Go see your boyfriend, mijo. All you're doing here is distracting us."

An argument lingers on the tip of his tongue but Lydia sweeps it away with another of her disconcertingly gentle smiles and waves her arm at the door. "Seriously, we're good here. I need your mom to approve the employee communication but everything else is done."

When he still doesn’t move, his mom clucks her tongue and moves to push him lightly toward the door. "Go."

Alec tries protesting as he's pushed out the door but his half-hearted attempts are met with lilting laughter from his mom and a pat on his cheek, motherly and sweet, as she warns, "I'll expect Magnus at our next family dinner. No excuses."

"He'll be there," Alec promises with one last squeeze of his mom's hand before she gives him a gentle shove and slams her door, leaving him alone in the hallway. 

Alec debates heading back to his office to get some actual work done but dismisses the idea almost immediately, the urge to see his boyfriend a veritable itch beneath his skin that he caves to without hesitation.

He thumbs his phone screen active and lets out a laugh when he finds a picture from Maia of Jace and Izzy sprawled on his office couch accompanied by six eye rolling emojis and a simple _SOS_. 

He shoots back a _You got this_ text before opening his text thread with Magnus, a gentle thrum of pleasure coursing through him at the sight of his boyfriend's last text. He'd been right, Alec didn't need luck when he had Magnus.

**ALEC:**

_I just got done with my mom. Meet in my office? Or meet in yours? I think mine has been taken over by Lightwoods._

**MAGNUS:**

_Just walking into a pitch meeting with my associates. I'll find you after?_

_I did receive a rather suspicious invitation from Isabelle so I'd gird your loins, darling._

_Things with your mom went well?_

**ALEC:**

_Better than well._

_Pretty sure my mom likes you more than me which was… tough to hear. :P_

_I'll tell you all about it later._

_Hurry up with your meeting. I miss you._

**MAGNUS:**

_Miss you too._

_Have Maia call me with a fake emergency if I'm not done in 30 min._

**ALEC:**

_I'll try. Hope you're okay with giving up our first born. She's a natural extortionist._

It's not until those three little dots appear and disappear multiple times that Alec realizes what he sent. The casual way he'd mentioned children. _Their_ child. Relationships may not be his strong suit but he’s pretty sure that bringing up kids before you've even seen each other fully naked is one of those things that will make Izzy sigh with despair and call him hopeless. 

**ALEC:**

_I didn't mean it like that._

_Well I did_

_Sort of._

_I like the idea of kids with you._

_Not that I think we should be talking about stuff like that right now._

_Although we could. If you want to._

_I'm not opposed._

_I'm shutting up now._

**MAGNUS:**

_Breathe, darling. Your pretty face is much too gorgeous for frown lines._

_You don't scare me._

_And a future with you definitely doesn't scare me._

_But maybe we should agree to not bargain away our hypothetical future children to Maia no matter how devious and evil genius-y she may be. ;)_

Alec is helpless against the sharp tug of joy that curls his lips and leaves him standing in the middle of a deserted hallway, feeling emotionally split open and more than a little bit loved. They may not have said the words yet but Alec is suddenly sure, deep down in his bones, that Magnus shares his feelings. 

**ALEC:**

_It's the same for me._

_About not being scared of a future with you._

**MAGNUS:**

_I'll see you in 30, Alexander. I'm suddenly desperate to kiss that face_

**ALEC:**

_Only fair since I'm always desperate to kiss yours._

His phone lights up with a single kissy face emoji as Alec walks into his office and his face must be doing something sappy and strange because Jace throws a crumpled up ball of paper at him and grins, "Did you just get finished being blown in the bathroom or something? You look way too happy for a guy who spent the afternoon with his mom."

"Don't be ridiculous, that smile is like over-the-pants-hand job level tops." Izzy says, shooting Jace a superior look even as she makes grabby hands at the open, chilled champagne bottle in his hands.

Some people might be surprised to find their siblings and assistant drinking in their office on a Friday afternoon, but Alec merely side-eyes the second open bottle of champagne that Maia attempts to surreptitiously push beneath his desk and lets out a sigh.

"Do you people not work?"

Jace and Iz beam at him with matching guileless smiles, seemingly immune to the chastisement in his tone, while Maia, at least, has the decency to look nervous before hiccuping gracelessly and pointing at his siblings. "I would like to state for the record that this was not my idea. I tried to kick them out."

“We’re celebrating!”

"Yeah," Iz chimes in after Jace, waving her phone around in the air, "Plus we invited Magnus so you can't be mad at us."

Alec pinches the bridge of his nose - in exasperation or reluctant amusement, he's not quite sure. "I don't think that's how this works." 

On any other day, Alec would probably refuse to be a party to this mess of terrible decision making, but he's just been given the all clear to love his boyfriend as openly as he wants and, if that doesn’t deserve a celebratory drink, he doesn’t know what does. 

Alec gestures for the open bottle and Maia fishes it out from beneath his desk, handing it over with a sheepish grin. 

Maia cocks her head and regards him silently for a long moment before her lips curve up in a genuine smile. “Happiness looks good on you, Alec.” 

"Thanks," he says, ducking his head to hide the worst of his besotted smile although, judging by the wide, proud smiles on Jace and Izzy, he's pretty confident he isn't managing to hide a damn thing.

"We're happy for you, bud." 

Jace claps him on the shoulder, all dude bro level affection, and it reminds Alec of spending weeks agonizing over coming out to him just to be met with that easy smile, a back-clapping hug, and Jace whispering _That's cool, buddy_ in his ears. 

Izzy pulls him down on the couch between her and Jace, her fingers smoothing over the disarray of his hair, tugging the strands back into place with gentle insistence before they slip down to tug playfully at the collar of his button-down, revealing a blossoming bruise that she pokes at with a teasing jab. “Magnus has a thing for your neck, huh?”

He levels his sister with a flat stare, pointedly choosing not to respond to her comment, even as he resists the urge to run a wondering finger over the mark. Alec has never particularly enjoyed having a hickey before but there’s something about knowing that it was Magnus who sucked the bruise into his skin, hot and wet with just a graze of teeth, that makes him shiver with a residual thrum of desire. 

The fact that he knows Magnus has a matching dark bruise on his right hip bone doesn’t help matters.

Izzy eyes him with a knowing smirk, but lets him off the hook with nothing more than a fond nudge of her shoulder and redirects the conversation. “So you and Magnus have mom’s stamp of approval?”

"Mom is going to be the direct report for the marketing and development teams so that I don't have direct oversight over Magnus' team anymore. It's not a perfect solution but at least no one is quitting." 

The fact that the thing he's agonized about for months managed to work itself out within a day, taking little more than a short conversation with his mom isn't lost on Alec. He wants to regret the wasted time, the lost moments, but something in him is glad that this is the route they took. They're both stepping into this relationship with the knowledge that it's their last, at least Alec is, and the certainty of their feelings is something that he doesn't regret waiting for. 

"I'm happy for you, big bro." Izzy sneaks another sip of champagne before handing the bottle back to him. Alec can tell the exact moment that his words fully sink in because her eyes go wide and she chokes on her champagne. "You let mom take back my team too?! My entire performance review is just going to be one long lecture about not making out with Simon in my office."

"You could try not making out with Simon in your office," Jace suggests, scooting out of range when Izzy attempts to swat him.

Iz swings her gaze his way and Alec shrugs, "The man has a point."

"You'd better never make out with Magnus in your office," Izzy threatens, "Because I'll throw you right under the bus."

Alec shrugs again, letting his lips quirk up in a sly smirk. “I’m the boss, I can make out with whomever I want. Wherever I want."

The teasing words make Maia’s mouth drop open in shock, “Who are you and what have you done with Alec _No Fun at Work_ Lightwood? Does this new Alec believe in only working half days on Fridays? How about a fancy espresso machine that’s just for us?”

Alec grins. “No to Friday half days and a solid maybe to that espresso machine.”

"I swear to the angel, Alec, if you start being adorable and fun at work I'm never going to get any work done so you need to dial this new fun side way down."

"I'll do my best," he solemnly promises, taking a swig out of the open wine bottle, before eyeing it with mild disgust. "You could at least use glasses, you heathens.” 

"Oh my God," Maia cries suddenly, pointing an accusatory finger at him, "It was Magnus!"

Alec bats her finger out of his face and takes another long drink before asking, "What was Magnus?"

"The constant takeout containers! The wine opener! You've been romancing Magnus right under our noses and none of us knew!" 

Jace looks exceedingly proud of himself as he leans forward to announce, "I knew."

Izzy and Maia both level unimpressed looks his way, neither of which seems to affect Jace in the least. 

"Don't give me those looks, I can't help it that you two aren't as observant as me."

"I swear to the Angel, Jace, there are days I could happily murder you," Izzy says, crossing her arms across her chest.

Maia leans forward, eyes gleaming, "I'd help."

Jace looks unconcerned by both comments. "You could try."

“You Lightwoods are a bloodthirsty bunch.”

Alec's body automatically turns toward the sound of his boyfriend's voice, a Pavlovian response that Izzy finds amusing judging by her stifled giggles.

Magnus stands framed in the doorway, watching them bicker with barely concealed amusement, and he’s so utterly, mind-numbingly _right_ that Alec is momentarily struck dumb by the idea that this man is his. 

His feet are moving before he knows what's happening and it's less than three long strides before Alec is in range to do the only thing he wants to do. The only thing he ever wants to do.

Kiss Magnus.

He yanks him in by the lapels and seals their lips together, licking into Magnus' mouth without warning, swallowing the surprised gasp that quickly morphs into a moan. Magnus' fingers flutter against his side before gripping firmly on Alec's hips, tugging him closer as he tilts his head, chasing after the perfect angle. 

Alec vaguely registers Maia's shocked gasp and his siblings' raucous cheering but it's hard to care when the warm, solid weight of his boyfriend is pressed against his chest, those clever fingers tickling along his sides. Alec feels the slide of his shirt as Magnus gently tugs the fabric enough to allow his hand to slip up beneath, stroking lightly at the bare skin of Alec's hip.

They kiss longer than strictly appropriate, especially in front of an audience, before they ease apart, Alec leaning in to steal another taste when he pulls away to find Magnus' eyes closed and a flush riding high on those gorgeous cheekbones. 

Magnus' eyes finally blink open, looking both surprised and pleased by the unexpectedly thorough greeting. _So beautiful_ Alec thinks, cupping Magnus' cheek and pulling him forward for one last, long press of their lips. A chaste touch that somehow feels as intimate as anything that came before. 

Maia coughs behind them, her tone making it clear Alec should expect to hear more about this later, "Still here, guys."

"Forty-five seconds,' Izzy murmurs, loud enough to be heard across the room. "It literally took him forty-five seconds to make out with Magnus in here."

"Wild as hell," Jace says proudly.

Magnus laces their fingers together and Alec's protests die in his throat. If being with Magnus is the end result, Alec is perfectly fine with being just a little bit wild. 

**Author's Note:**

> Catch me on Twitter @asharee_arie or Tumblr sparklyasharee-arie
> 
> If you do the Twitter thing, tag #mmwtyfic because I'd love to follow along!


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